It Was All Just a Game
by We-have-problems
Summary: It's the Twi-Wizard tournament, and Draco Malfoy has a plan to make sure Harry Potter will be too distracted to even think about winning. Unfortunately for Draco, he might be too distracted to remember the plan. How wil Draco and Harry hide their secret relationship from everyone in their life? An epic love story story spanning from fourth year and far beyond. Drarry, Slash
1. Chapter 1: The Plan

**Chapter 1: The Plan**

It was the day after, morning to be precise, Harry Potter's name spat itself in a blaze from the Goblet of Fire; a mystery no one could solve, even Potter, however it's not like anyone would believe his explanation.

"Of course famous Potter gets the glory, that sniveling dumb git! Of course he would be the one to have his stupid name pulled from the cup, while the more qualified, prestigious people for the challenge (me) get to sit back and watch that idiot Gryffindork get himself killed," Draco Malfoy ranted to his posse, Crabbe and Goyle, while getting ready for breakfast. "He won't last the first task."

The two 'oaf brains' were actually smarter than they proceed to be. Draco said they were two-faced, but in a good way. During classes and studies, they weren't expected much of, since they appeared to be grumbling idiots, when really they were shy of brilliance.

"I don't know, Draco," Crabbe said, "He's gotten away with a lot of things! I mean he did stop those dementors-" He trailed away when cut off by daggers shot towards him. There's one rule as to interrupting a ranting Draco: don't.

"By luck! Everything done by Potty is achieved through luck! Don't you dare interrupt me while I'm ranting! How many times have I told you not to do that," Draco snapped, shoving his toes in his shoes before tying them fiercely.

Although Draco's inner circle was by far more than superior, sometimes they slipped up, but hey, it happens. They were loyal and helped out in rough spots. After all, they had to be since the whole school hates Slytherins; Everything was all an act (sometimes).

Pansy: the perfect example of extreme fabrication. With the reputation to act like a princess, it surprises people when they find out that after her skin is peeled she can sometimes be a genuinely nice girl- to her fellow Slytherins of course. Don't get me wrong, the second prey is within her reach, she snaps, but wouldn't anybody?

They liked it that way. It was nice not having to worry about anybody else. They were all alike in seemingly different ways, but once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin, and if you made it in the house you would be trusted.

Most of the things they would pull on other houses were just friendly pranks... maybe take out the friendly, in fact they were most certainly not friendly, rather certain tomfoolery could land you in the hospital wing for weeks.

But if they made their horseplay all chummy and whatnot, other houses would want to be all 'buddy buddy' and sappy, and dare I say it, mushy; frankly, who could ever want endless love and affection from Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, or even stupid Gryffindorks? Everyone would turn into teddy bears and fluff balls, and that was completely unacceptable.

On the other hand some pranks could be more than a simple joke. In fact some may just be completely sinister. For instance, the one Draco just came up with while digging into a forkful of eggs.

It was in the midst of superior deceit and revenge for stealing the fire when something so clever, so genius, clicked.

"Pansy?" Draco asked deviously, although he was nervous. Would he be laughed at? Judged? Abandoned for the idea sprung in his imagination?

"Yes, Draco?"

"You've been in love right?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm being serious," Draco said snobbishly.

"Okay, Merlin, don't get your knickers in a twist," Pansy snapped and the blonde rolled his eyes, "Its like being drunk-"

"What," Draco snapped as fast a venom, "No it's not!"

"Would you let me finish," Pansy denied his ability to answer, simply because she just didn't want to hear another bratty response. But she knew Draco, she knew he was on to something for he had to be. The blonde never cared for any form of emotion, let alone love.

Draco had a mask. Anytime and all the time he didn't want people to read what he was feeling he hid it, but most times he didn't have anything to cover. Only his inner circle could tell if he was plainly disturbed or not.

"It's like losing all of your senses. You don't know how to react to situations as you would not in love. You're care free, so to speak."

"Making it the ultimate distraction," Draco smirked, glancing over to the Gryffindor table with nasty eyes.

"I mean, you could look at it that way unlike every other human being in the world. What are you on to?"

"So, if Potter is in a tournament in which all his senses must be on edge, a tournament he could get seriously injured- hell, die in, wouldn't it be a shame if he lost said senses?"

"Draco..." Blaise said cautiously. Another rule set to Draco's friends just so happened to be to not interrupt him when he's plotting. "What do you mean?"

"Oh don't be so daft, Blaise. It means that if he got a girlfriend he would be too distracted to even compete and he would lose, or possibly get hurt in the process," Draco explained, looking at them as if they were inhabitable lifeforms.

"So all we would need for guaranteed failure, is a girl," Goyle said, and they all turned to Pansy.

"No! No no no! I will not be Potty's girlfriend, I refuse," Pansy bit.

"But you're a girl. It's the only thing you're good for," Draco spoke before taking a bite of boys laughed.

Pansy, mouth agape, stared Draco down. "I actually have a use besides seduce arrogant pigs like you," she scoffed. "I won't do it."

"Well, we need someone to," Crabbe said. They all looked around at each other, and then down at their plates under Draco's icy stare.

"How about you Draco," Blaise joked, "You were the one to come up to the idea."

Draco snorted, "Good one, Blaise."

"Actually, that's a wonderful idea," Pansy said in complete seriousness, putting her fork down with clang. "Thank you, Blaise."

Draco choked on his own saliva and stuttered aimlessly, trying to find words.

She crossed her arms and stuck out her chest, her jaw sticking out. "Surely it won't be too, bad. I heard Potter's a good kisser, and his hair is only half of a rats nest."

"You can't be serious right now!"

"Oh, I am," she smirked, "You came up with it. It's only fair you go through with it."

"One flaw, Parkinson," Draco collected himself, his face dropping into a smirk.

"And what would that be?"

"I'm not gay. Potter isn't gay that I know of."

"We're teenagers, Draco," Blaise reasoned, "There's nothing wrong with experimenting, and it's not like he has a strict family like yours. I'm sure he'd be up to the challenge. The wimp here would be you."

"Potter is all about love and friendship and all that snugglily affectionate crap. Krum would be a shoe in for the cup," Crabbe reasoned.

"You are pretty handsome if I do say so myself," Pansy said and Draco smirked. "It would be easy to convince him, he's gullible. Drop the snob act for a month, suck it up, and while distracting him, humilate him in the process!"

Draco automatically replied, "And if we get caught?"

"Then you play it off laughing. No one would believe it, I don't even think Potter would. You two are sworn enemies and if someone saw you flirting or whatever, and they told someone, no one would ever think of it to be true," Goyle said as if he thought it through before this entire conversation.

"Come on! You could make a fool out of him. Just use your Slytherin charm," Crabbe persuaded.

"And what would I get out of it," Draco raised an eyebrow, actually concidereing it, which they had to admit was more than they thought they would get.

"Your most favorite thing in the entire world," Blaise smirked. "Humilating Potter."

"This could be revenge for him not shaking your hand in first year," Pansy said very low.

"Hey! I don't care about that anymore," Draco bit back, and Pansy gave him an 'are you kidding me' look.

"Well," she asked in anticipation. "Are you going to suck it up, or are you going to be a coward?"

Draco bit his lip and glanced over to the Gryffindor's table, where Potter sat, chasing his food around with his fork, not eating a bite. The boy-wonder looked miserable.

And Draco enjoyed every second of it.

He took a deep breath before saying, "I'll do it."

"We'll do it today then," Pansy stated, unusually excited while piling some chicken and green beans on her plate for lunch.

"Do what exactly," Draco questioned, adding a sandwich to his own china, his goblet being filled with pumpkin juice as he spoke.

"Start Phase One from our 'Plan to Seduce Potter,' of course," she said nonchalantly, digging in.

With this, Draco, who was gulping down his drink, snorted enough of the liquid in which it filled his nose and caused him to cough uncontrollably. "What! We're still doing that? It's been a month- hell, it's a week before the first task. We've all forgotten about it," Draco scoffed, wiping his mouth on a cotton napkin.

Pansy, as well as everyone else, appeared to be simply amused. "You seriously forgot? Thought that you of all of us would want to see him in distress."

"Why did you have to say seduce? I'm just getting him to like me so that he is too distracted to focus on the tournament. I just want him to lose, and if we are still going through with it-"

"We are-"

"We want him to be humiliated, and if I'm doing so by romantically... putting myself out there, so to speak-"

"So, seducing," Blaise clarified.

"Point is, he's humiliated, that's all I care about. He always gets what he wants, always gets to be the famous one, always gets everything! It's time to show him who he messed with. Some Gryffindork isn't going to boss me around and act as though I'm not good enough for him."

"So you're still not hung up on first year?"

Draco exhaled heavily. "I'm not Pansy. I don't care," he bit.

"Admitting you were rejected is the first step to getting over rejection."

"Pansy!"

"So we will carry out our plan tonight," she changed the subject. "Potter has been taking walks during dinner recently. I imagine it's because of stress"

"How do you even know that?"

"He's never here, is he? During supper, he isn't at least," Pansy said. Draco looked up at Potter, who was still pushing around his food, not eating. He wondered if Potter ever ate at this point, or did the sheer nervousness engulf him to the point of no appetite? They locked eyes, and Draco's face and arms heated up at the thought of what they were about to pull on him.

"Oh, wait," Pansy said, and Draco turned back to her, but she initially didn't want that. "Look back at him with wanting eyes!"

"How do I even do that?"

"Glance up and stare at him longingly. Just do it!"

Draco did as ordered, although he had no idea what he was doing. Potter felt the familiar chill go through his spine that signified someone staring at him, and he peered back up at Draco. He looked back with wild, yet curious eyes, and then focused on the plate in front of him, however they could tell he was uncomfortable as Draco kept staring, biting his lip.

Pansy hit his arm, "Stop," she said, looking back up at Potter and then to Draco, yanking his arm as a 'concerned friend' should.

"How was that," Draco asked, still staring at Potter's eyes, which from what he could tell, were blinking furiously as he tried to keep away from awkward contact.

"Excellent," she smirked when the coast was clear.

"Could you please tell me what's going on," Draco bit, finally looking away, "When did we even plan this?"

"You don't pay attention in charms do you," Blaise shook his head.

"To Flitwick I do!"

"Well, you shouldn't be. You should be paying attention to us, we already planned out everything! Right now, we're in Phase One, which means you're in your crushing stage. Say you saw him in the Quidditch locker room and he was just so attractive you couldn't handle it, and now you're thinking of being with him-"

"Bleh! I'm not, in fact, i'm more attracted to a werewolf than I am to Potter!"

"But this is a scenario. Anything can happen in scenarios! Anyway, so you're trying 'oh-so-hard' to keep from this 'crush' but you can't and you have to confess it to your best friend in hopes she will help you get over it, and you give longing stares across the hall in hopes to make him yours, which gets him to the creeping out part, which is where we are headed tonight."

"This is too thought out," Draco finally said, putting his head in his hands.

"We're planning the Greatest Prank of All Time! Of course it's well thought out. We'll go down in the record books."

Draco smirked at this. "And what exactly will we be saying tonight?"

All he got was a snicker from Blaise, a mischievous smile from Pansy and worried expression from Crabbe and Goyle as Pansy explained the mission.

They both knew something would go wrong in the plan, Crabbe and Goyle that is, as indeed it would.

The evening was beautifully painted with pink clouds and an auburn sky. At the top of the earth, stars formed while the night took over. It was around 7:00 p.m, and the grass was dancing as the wind blew across the field between the castle and the Quidditch pitch.

Harry had always walked through several oak trees about half a mile into the Forbidden Forest. It was his own secret place and had a nice view. You could see the pristine lake and the marvelously constructed Hogwarts- his only home.

The poor kid was so frustrated on the Triwizard Tournament, he thought he would explode.

Harry didn't put his name in the cup. Period.

He had no idea who would or why. What the worst part was the fact that his best friend refused to talk to him, and it disgusted him that Ron actually believed it was fun to be in a game where he could die. A very dangerous game.

Harry started to head out the forest towards the castle, depressed. The thought over how he never wanted these things happening to him, nothing. He just wanted to be a normal 14 year old boy: only worrying about the next test coming up; only worrying about a zit on his face; only worrying about relationships and friendships.

Seeing the couples all the time drove him crazy. No girl ever wanted him for him, for they wanted the Boy-Who-Lived, the one who defeated the basilisk, the one who survived a dementor attack, the one who defeated the Dark Lord when he was a baby. It was unfair.

Harry reached the courtyard and reached at the handle, about to open the doors the colossal castle when suddenly he hear two people chatting, but he knew those voices coming from behind the support beam.

"I don't know what to do, I can't get him out of my head, I just can't," the voice was in a panic, "and everything reminds me of his stupid eyes," the masculine one of the two said.

His?

"Draco, that's enough! You need to get rid of this dumb little crush of yours," the feminine of the two. "Even looking at him today in the Great Hall was too perplexing!"

Harry's throat closed as he swallowed. His face heated into a pink blush.

He stared at Malfoy today. No, he had to be talking about someone else, Harry concluded. Not me.

"I know! But his stupidly perfect bouncy mess of hair is stupid and I just want to run my fingers through it, you know!"

"No, I don't."

"Damn it, Pansy, I have to see that every potions class! I have to think about wanting to mess it up even more every time I see him! Don't even get me started about Quidditch! And his glasses, oh Merlin, his glasses! They are stupidly perfect for his stupid face!"

Harry's eyes widened, and his blood beat so fast, it was if his blood was having a race. So many questions ran through his mind. He couldn't breathe.

Harry put his hand on the door handle and opened it as quietly as he could, but only a few inches and the giant door squeaked. Harry froze.

"Shh someone is coming," The girl, Pansy, Harry guessed, said in a half shout, half whisper.

"Pansy! Pansy, what if they heard!? No one must know! Especially Potter!"

"Shut up!"

With wobbling legs, Harry left to go to the Gryffindor Tower, not being able to comprehend what he had just heard.

Draco Malfoy had a crush.

And it so happened to be Harry Potter.

"Harry, where have you been? We were so worried," Hermione automatically said as Harry walked into the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I know you were worried," Harry replied pointing to Hermione with his head then scowling at Ron, "I just went for a walk, I was fine. I'm going to bed."

"Are you sure? You don't look very well. Maybe you should go see Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione advised.

"I'm fine," Harry bit, "Just stressed."

"Right because your life is so terrible, being in the Triwizard and all," Ron mumbled barely audible. Harry just rolled his eyes and went into his bed and shut his scarlet curtains.

He didn't sleep, not one hour. He didn't dare to.

With no idea where this was going with Malfoy, his stomach turned over.

He thought of the whole situation. Surely it could make sense if you looked at it with a different angle... well a different angle with an eye closed and head tilted almost upside down.

He tried to envision him hold hands with Malfoy, looking into his beaut- cold silver eyes... did he just almost say beautiful? No no no, he did not!

Then Harry's thoughts drifted further. He could never see himself kissing his pink lips. BLEH!

He went from points of misunderstanding to understanding, back and forth, back and forth, all throughout the night.

Malfoy hated Harry and Harry hated Malfoy from day one. Day one.

When did these feelings start in Draco? Why would he like someone he hated?

Even if Malfoy's feelings were true, which was doubted, they could never get together. He couldn't even see the teenager get romantic at all. it would be like kissing cardboard... BLEH kissing Malfoy, Gross!

He couldn't imagine himself developing feelings for the blonde. Never.

By four a.m. he decided that he was just hearing things, or maybe it was the lack of food or sleep, or possibly even the stress, and with that thought, he closed his eyes to see Malfoy staring at him from across the Great Hall, a look of longing on his features.

After the door closed, Draco and Pansy came out from behind the arch in which they were hiding and laughed hysterically.

"Hahahahahah! Oh my Merlin that was hilarious! Did you see the look on his face? He was horrified! Even if our plan doesn't pull through, that was- HA!- worth it all," Draco exclaimed. Pansy couldn't stop laughing so she nodded her head in approval as she leaned on the arch for support.

Draco was on the ground laughing too hard to get up and Pansy was close to falling over for 10 minutes straight.

"Ho-okay," Pansy said wiping a tear from her eyes, "We cannot stop there! We need to get Potter to develop a crush on you! I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical, but now, this is way too good of a plan to not continue!"

"Okay but give him a few days so he can comprehend that because I'm pretty sure he can't even think straight right now," Draco laughed.

"Okay, okay! But you need to stare at him. All the time. And when he looks over scowl or turn away innocently. Play it off. And then when it gets to be 2 days before the tournament, we start our secret admirer bit! Phase One: complete, Phase Two: just beginning," Pansy said with a smirk, and she helped Draco up.

They walked back to the common room with smiles on their faces.

 **Author's Note: This story was originally posted on Wattpad and AO3 under the username write_me227, you can find links to the accounts on my profile, please remember reviews help me update faster**


	2. Chapter 2: The Encounter

**Chapter 2: The Encounter**

The week had gone by fast as Draco put the plan into action. He would continuously stare at Potter in classes and when the scarhead walked by him in the hall he would sheepishly skimpier away.

The best part of it all was the reactions that escaped Potter's body. In potions he could feel Draco's gaze on him like a the darkest cloud in a hurricane. The Boy-Who-Lived would blush, shake, and get sweaty as the beady grey eyes would pierce into what felt like his soul.

Draco also noticed how Potter would always blink at anytime he looked at the blonde. Three times he would do it.

Draco found it mildly hilarious as if the golden boy were trying to blink away the monster that kept him up at night.

He had dark circles under his eyes.

And Draco notice that as well.

The Slytherin walked down the empty hallway, "late" to potions as Potter always was. He stopped at the blind spot around the corner in which he waited for Potter to run to class. It wasn't two minutes until he heard hurried footsteps stomp down the corridor.

It was time for Phase Two.

When the footsteps grew nearer, Draco turned the corner and looked down just as the Savior was. He purposely walked straight into Potter and knocked him to the floor.

"Watch where you're going- Potter," he cried in a fake panic. As a reflex, Draco backed away to the opposite wall, scared out of his mind as to being in the same hallway as Potter.

"Malfoy," Potter replied sheepishly, also shimmying away to the opposite wall.

"W-what are yo- you- doing here?"

"N-nothing ju-just going to potions," he said, almost frightened.

At this Draco 'remembered' to apply his mask. "Well watch where you're going Potter, or I'll be not so friendly next time."

"Right," Harry said looking everywhere but in Draco's eyes.

At this point Draco had his prey in the palm of his hands.

"Why're you late anyway? Potty couldn't get away from his leachy girlfriend," Draco teased weakly, almost hiding his face as he got up and faced the window. For dramatic effect, he sniffled at just the right moment. "Isn't that why you're always late? You're with her aren't you?"

At this Harry looked him in the eye and began to shake his head nervously as he too stood and walked towards the stained glass onlooking the school grounds.

"No, I-I don't have one."

"Right. Surely the famous Harry Potter would have himself a partner," Draco swallowed, and then almost whispered, "You're everything anyone wants."

"No, no I'm not," Potter spoke with caution, afraid he was to be attacked.

"Yes you are." At this point Draco had found his way behind Harry and put his hand on his shoulders, leaning down to the shorter boy's ear. "You're perfect," Draco whispered.

Draco made sure to get a large whiff of Harry's scent: musk and a cucumber shampoo. He must have just taken a shower, it was early morning come to think of it. The smell wasn't too bad, and in fact, Draco kind of liked it. But he would never admit it to anyone- even his own thoughts.

Harry just stared off into the distance trying to conjure up something to respond with. His mind was fuzzy and he couldn't fathom a coherent sentence.

"I...get...I mea...please," Harry spat out.

"Please what," Draco spun Harry around to face him, "what do you need Harry? Need something, someone?"

Harry looked away but Draco pulled up his chin to ensure that they were looking each other in the eye. Then Draco started to slowly fill the footlong gap. He closed his eyes and just stood there waiting with his lips parted.

Potter's color drained from his face and Draco could feel it through the darkness, for he was frozen in shock. He wanted- needed an escape, and was scared for his life when a voice came and interrupted them.

"Draco," could be heard from around the corner. It was Pansy, coming along according to plan.

Draco's eyes shot open and he pushed Harry away in a split second as the girl rounded the corner.

"Don't you dare do that again, Potter! My father will hear about that," Draco yelled angrily as if the two were in a fight previously. The blonde's face pulled into a scowl. Harry just stood there, flabbergasted.

"Has Potty been giving you trouble, Draco?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Okay, come on let's sit together in potions!"

"Let's go. See you later, Potter," Draco said, hitting his shoulder and winking.

Draco and Pansy sauntered off together as if nothing had happened, until they turned into another empty corridor. From there, they went into a cupboard only to laugh hysterically about Potter's stunned reaction.

"Brilliant Pansy! Perfect timing! He won't even be able to come and talk to me because he'll be so scared that i'll make out with him!" Pansy was on the floor while Draco sat against a shelf.

"Well, why not," Pansy spat out after five minutes of uncontrolled laughter.

"Why not what," Draco asked with a smug smile on his face.

'Why not kiss him?"

At this Draco's face dropped completely. All he could do I produce a vain stare. "Pansy, you cease to amuse me."

"I'm not kidding, Draco. If you really want to mess with him..."

"No! Hell no! If I were to ever kiss Harry Potter I would pitch myself off the astronomy tower, joking or not. It's hard enough even getting closer than a foot to the obscurity," Draco ranted. "I was centimeters from his dorky glasses, let alone his lips, and I feel as though I should take two showers just to get his scent off of me. He smells horrid!"

And then there were footsteps.

"Shh! Be quiet," Pansy whispered sharply. They stood in the dark closet when the footsteps arrived and opened the door.

"What are you two doing in here? Having a snogging session are we? Hmmm shouldn't you two be in double potions with the Gryffindors? 4th years correct? Come with me," a Ravenclaw prefect stated.

"Where are we going," Pansy asked.

"To your class. Professor Snape will definitely not be happy. That's three students late for class."

"And who was the third person," Draco questioned. He received a glare from the older boy.

"Harry Potter, why are you asking?"

"Just simply wondering." Draco smirked and glared at Pansy as the Ravenclaw dragged the two away to potions.

Harry stood there in shock. He was unable to register what had just happened.

'Draco Malfoy just tried to...no no that's impossible- he hates me. But that day he said he had a crush...no it has to be a joke. It has to! But he closes his eyes and leaned! I was almost kissed by Draco Malfoy!

Harry continued in deep thought in the same spot he was in until he heard footsteps. He looked up to see a Ravenclaw prefect.

"Shouldn't you be in class, Harry?"

"Right, sorry...it was just...just the Triwizard Tournament has been getting me down and all," Harry said trying cover the crack in his voice.

"Okay... I guess that's a somewhat solid reason- I won't take any points but I must assure you that you get to class as soon a possible. Professor Snape won't be pleased," the kind boy said sternly.

"T-thank you." The boy just smiled and continued running his routes down the same way that they went.

Harry hurriedly walked down the hallway made of stone and continued deep into the eerie dungeons. He was already 20 minutes late, however thankfully the prefect didn't deduct points, Harry and all of Gryffindor knew that Snape would.

After what seemed like millions of miles of walking, the Gyffindor made it to the potions classroom and opened the door.

"Ahhh, Mr. Potter. So unfortunate you have come. What have you been doing? Nevermind I don't wish to hear it- I'm sure whatever explanation you have choreographed will presume as absolutely worthless and a sheer waste of my time. Twenty points from Gryffindor," Snape scowled. Hermione gave an apologetic look to his friend and went back to copying the recipe for a difficult potion, which Harry didn't care for.

The green eyed boy walked down to an empty table and grabbed his stuff when the door opened with a certain Ravenclaw and two sneaky Slytherins walked in. Snape's face turned almost purple from anger for yet another unnecessary reason.

"Professor Snape I found these two in a supply closet, skipping class."

"Yes, Ms. Parkinson and Mr. Malfoy, come in. What were they doing?"

"Snogging I suspect, I didn't see th-"

"We'll if you didn't see it then that explanation could be as true as them raising a Cornish Pixie to take over the world. 2 points from Slytherin. Now get out."

The Prefect obeyed and went back to running his normal routes with click on the door.

"As for you two- separate at once," Snape pointed and Harry clenched the end of the desk as his heart raced, "Ms. Parkinson with Mr. Nott and Mr. Malfoy, you will be paired with Potter."

His heart sank so far that he thought the organ would fall out of his shoe. Harry Potter, paired with the man who has hated but (possibly) secretly liked him for years, Draco Malfoy.

Fan-bloody-tastic!

Draco glanced at Pansy, giving her a wink, and then strolled next to Harry, biting his lip, and he took his seat. Draco could feel Harry tense up a bit, knowing that the obscure Slytherin attempted to kiss him, and now would have to sit by him because fate enjoyed to mess with him.

Snape sent everyone to get their supplies from the storage closet and pairs got to work. Ron and Hermione were put together, lucky them.

Throughout the class she gave Harry a sympathetic look or a shy smile, while Ron sat there and didn't even look up.

"What are we doing," the blonde asked innocently.

"I wouldn't know, thanks to you. I just got here," Harry spat. He awaited a snarl and a 'You were late anyway,' or a 'Not my problem,' but instead he got something he could have never expected.

"Oh, right...sorry," Draco mumbled.

"Did you just apologize to me," Potter looked up with wrinkled eyebrows, staring at him with wild eyes.

"Y-yeah," Draco stuttered, "I-I think so..." It felt wierd, saying the word sorry; it was something Draco never did before.

"What? Malfoy, you've been acting all weird lately, why? Why on Earth are you apologizing?"

"You wouldn't care."

"If I didn't care I wouldn't have asked," Potter said.

"Right, perfect saint Potter always trying to save the day..."

"I'm not perfect and why won't you make eye contact with me? You always make eye contact with me!" It was something he'd noticed. Draco had always tried to size him up, and that meant eye contact.

There was a long pause and a swallow. After several moments of long thinking, Draco actually thought up a Phase: Phase 3.

"Meet me outside by the lake during dinner," he said closely to his ear so no one else could hear him, and Harry shivered at the closeness of their bodies and the heat of Draco's breath.

"I can't," Harry said after taking a breath of Draco's cologne, "I have to prepare for the tournament. All night, every night, up until the first task."

Draco pretended- and very damn well might I add- to be disappointed. "You're sure?"

"Positive. Why?"

"I wanted to tell you something. Something private," Draco whispered.

At this, Harry's face turned stone cold. He knew exactly what Malfoy had to tell him: he fancied him.

"Listen," Draco said in a rush as Snape got up from his desk to ridicule the works of each student, "don't get hurt and I'll tell you after."

Harry swallowed, now having to worry what the future would bring with the tournament, and now with his biggest rival. He didn't know which one was worse.

The rest of the class was okay, Draco and Harry never talked. The only thing worth discussing was the ingredients that went in the potion.

"One rat tail" Draco would say and Harry would pass it.

"3 fairy wings." At this their hands touched and a feeling went though both of their bodies. A feeling that was the strangest, most bizarre, most magnetic and electric feeling either of them could ever comprehend.

"What was that?" The two said simultaneously when they snatched their hands away from another. From that moment forward neither chose to speak.

"Place your potion on my desk and you may go," Snape said in a monotone. The Slytherin and Gryffindor nearly sprinted to get away from each other and left without another word.

"What was that all about," Hermione asked as the raven haired boy caught up to them.

"N-nothing- I don't know, it was a strange class."

"Are you sure? You look a little pale. Maybe you should to go to the hospital wing," she encouraged as Ron walked by.

"No, I'm fine," he sent daggers towards his jealous friend but continued on his way.

He wasn't fine, in fact, he was everything contradicting to fine.

"Let's go to the library, we need to research more," Hermione tried to pull Harry from his spot but he wouldn't move. He was in a concussion-like state. Two encounters with Malfoy and a double potions tired out his common sense.

"I feel like I need a nap," he said staring off at a brick on the floor.

"Come on! You only have a few days to prepare and I'm not going to carry you out of the tournament because you were too stupid to find a simple healing charm." She made a point.

The two headed towards the library, not knowing that Blaise and Pansy had been hiding behind a statue in the main dungeons hallway, listening to their whole conversation.

Looks like Draco was going to study in the library tonight.

The sky had fallen. At this point the stars were shining brightly and the normally dancing grass was at rest. Harry had been sitting in what seemed a throne of books and Hermione had read them all, leaving Harry in the dust.

"I think I'm going to look up more on extreme hexes. You never know what could be out there, right Harry," Hermione suggested. Harry never responded, for he was pondering in a sea of nightmares. What if the worst thing he ever dreamed of appeared in this task? What if

Draco really did kiss him? What if- no.

'Harry snap out of it! You need to focus,' he thought before looking up to find Hermione gone. At last some peace and quiet for two seconds. Hermione was a great friend, but sometimes she wouldn't shut up, as if she thought her babbling through the notes would help anyone retain information.

Harry opened a book on protective charms when the heavy door to the library opened. Harry didn't look up when he heard footsteps stop next to him, however he did stop all movement when he smelled sharp, heavy cologne. Malfoy's cologne.

And he stopped all breathing when a nimble finger dragged itself across his arm, his eyes following a strutting Malfoy who sat two tables away from him.

Malfoy's features were relaxed with a smirk when he winked at Harry, and the Gryffindor glared at him, ready to speak, but Hermione strolled next to him and slammed her books in the desk. Harry didn't even greet her, but went back to his book, although he didn't even look at the words.

Sometimes, he would look up at Malfoy who was oh-so-calmly studying. Come to think of it, he wasn't a bad looking guy, actually quite handsome- 'Harry you're doing it again!'

He tried to go back to his book, however, his concentration went out the window a long time ago.

"Harry, really, are you all right? Care to talk?"

"No-nothing I'm... I'm fine." But Hermione wasn't dumb. She could see right through him, "really," he tried to encourage but it ended up making the situation worse. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just tired that's all," Harry put his head in his hands and rubbed his face.

"You look more frazzled, Harry."

"I'm sure if you were going into a tournament that wasn't even safe for people 3 years senior to you, you'd be a bit 'frazzled' too," Harry snapped.

Hermione melted into an apologetic state. "I'm sorry, Harry! I just keep forgetting and you're just taking it all in and you don't have anyone to support you. Your best friend is acting like a child, and I'm overloading you with studying, it's just I want you to be prepared," She admitted.

Harry felt terrible and gave her a long hug.

Draco felt terrible as well. How come the mudblood gets a hug from Potter and he doesn't? That wasn't fair!

He was the one creating a plan that may as well get him killed by his father. He was the one pretending to have a crush on him, and all she has to do is slam the books on top of a desk, complain about her girl feelings, and she gets to have Potter's hands wrapped around her.

Oh god, he must be tired. Draco would never- could never say that if he was sleep sober. He put on a painless mask of jealousy, which normally would have taken much more effort as he could conjure up.

Harry could feel the blonde's gaze fixed on him as he failed to read a piece of text from a book on albino cobras.

Draco saw the title of the literature that Harry was reading. This have him an idea. It only had to be put into action when the mudblood left.

Draco grew impatient because the weasel-lover refused to leave, until Harry asked her to get another book on fairies. It was time for the albino cobra to stalk his prey.

The slytherin stood and strolled, putting his book back in the shelf behind Potter. He saw him tense and his smirk couldn't get any larger.

Draco kneeled behind Potter and placed a hand on his shoulder, causing the boy to freeze.

"You know," he said in a dark, heated voice, "what they say about albino cobras, Potter?"

The Gryffindor swallowed.

"The have a hard bite," Draco smirked, his lingering hand rubbing his shoulder before releasing and sauntering to the side of the table to face Potter. The boy looked like he was going to puke, and Draco guessed he would telling by the time it took him to get out of the library.

Draco stood there with a smirk on his face. Hermione came back with at least six more books in hand and dropped them on what was left of the table.

"Where's Harry," she asked with a confused but suspicious face.

"I don't know, but you should go brush your hair, or maybe even shower-"

"Where's Harry? What did you do to him?"

"Well let's just say... I gave him some factual information. Important things he should know."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What did he do," she clenched.

"Ran off like a two year old. You know he shouldn't be in this tournament to begin with. Can't believe he is so full of himself to enter, but of course the universe is in his favor as always and he gets the pleasure of being able to compete."

"He's not full of himself. He doesn't want any of this! He hates it and he hates you," Hermione said sorting through books. Draco was silent. He only lingered on one phrase: you.

"He hates me?" He didn't realize what he was saying as it rolled off his tongue. He didn't mean to make it sound so hurt. Hermione looked up at this but didn't analyze the tone enough and thankfully for Draco, she didn't recognize how hurt he looked.

"Of course he does. You're nothing but a pest. If I were you, I'd give him a break. Leave him alone, you have no idea what you're getting into."

Draco stood there, shocked at her outburst. It surprised him, Granger standing up for herself.

The mudblood walked away from the library, probably to comfort Potter.

Draco was even more shocked on what she said. Harry didn't truly hate him did he?

But one statement surrounded his mind. You don't know what you're getting into.

And indeed he didn't.


	3. Chapter 3: The First Task

**Chapter 3: The First Task**

 **Author's Note: I know I'm updating this really fast, but I want everyone to see this stor so badly, and don't worry I haven't forgotten about my other stories**

The last few days before the tournament went by too fast, and Harry found himself agitated as it approached, and he balled his hand into a fist.

He only sneaked in and out of the library at night in his invisibility cloak, whether or not Draco was to be around the area. The encounters with him were making Harry unstable, especially under his unique circumstances.

Everything seemed such a big deal and it didn't hit him until the morning of the task, that he was to face a dragon. Thankfully Hagrid had told Harry about the beasts or he wouldn't of known anything about them.

Harry sat down next to Hermione, for about 10 minutes until Dumbledore stole him away to get ready for the suicide mission. They walked down the Great Hall together, stares locking on them, and turned out the door.

"Harry, go and clean up a bit and then meet me back here. I've laid out your clothes for you. They're on your bed," Dumbledore said.

"Nervous?"

Harry just nodded, obeying the headmaster and heading towards the common room. He walked up the stairs briskly, dreading every step, and changed into his new uniform for the tournament. He sat on the bed and took deep breaths, hoping it would slow time down but time stops for no one, not even the Boy-Who-Lived.

Walking back down, much slower than before, he just ignored the stares and looked at his sneakers before they collided with someone else's black dress shoes. He knew those shoes. They were the footwear to someone Harry want the least in the world to see.

Malfoy.

Both boys were silent for a moment before the Gryffindor turned to walk away.

"Wait," Draco shouted almost too fast for himself to comprehend. Harry just paused and stared at the blonde for what seemed like centuries. This way he could examine Draco's features. They were tense: his eyebrows furrowed, his lips turned in, and his eyes shrunk and small. They were a stunning silver, his eyes, and could melt even the coldest of chocolate, and Harry found himself turning to cocoa.

"Ihopeyoudontdieinthistournament."

"What?" Harry didn't know what the Slytherin just said from the way the words slipped off of his tongue faster than a fairy's wings flapped- plus the fact that he was lost in the his eyes.

Draco looked stressed. Harry didn't know if it was because of his supposed crush, or because he was just reacting straight up stupid to his words.

"I said," he took a breath, and he bit," I hope you don't die in this tournament. Clear enough for you?"

"Errrrmm thanks I guess," Harry stated flabbergasted."Er- Malfoy, what's going on with you?"

Malfoy bit his lip, and then suddenly walked away, and Harry never thought he would love to see the day that Draco Malfoy would care about him, even though it just made everything more stressful and confusing. It did however seem to take a bit of edge off of the over view of the tournament.

There was life before it. There was life during it. And there was life after it.

It was the latter he had to worry about.

"Time for our champions to face the dragon!"

The crowd bellowed unbearably loud as Draco sat down next to Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle to watch the first task. They were in a section filled with Victor Krum posters and signs, cheering on the Bulgarian. They talked and cheered until it was Harry's time to catch the egg.

"How long do you suspect he will stay alive?" Blaise asked.

"Less than 5 minutes I hope," Pansy smirked. Crabbe and Goyle agreed at 8 minutes.

"I suspect he will be in there for about 13, he's not that stupid." Just then, the contestant was whacked on the shoulder. "Make that 10 at most," Blaise laughed.

"And you, Draco?" Pansy asked.

"Put me down for the whole thing. I think he'll get the egg. He's Potter. He has luck seeping through his bloodstream." At this time Potter seemed to have somehow gotten his broom, whoever allowed that, and was flying around the stadium.

"If he wins you have to go on a date with him!" Pansy said. Draco just rolled his eyes and said fine.

"What is that Draco? No grunt, No anger? You usually do when we plan another encounter. You'd think he is actually starting to like Potter," Blaise laughed. Draco's eyes turned to daggers.

"You try hanging around with the Gryffindork for a while," Draco started, but was cut off.

"So you're saying you really do like him," Pansy teased. This time Draco shot swords into Pansy.

"No, I do not care about the stupid prat!" Harry flew above the crowd and soared towards the castle; the dragon broke free, chasing the boy with his fiery fumes.

Draco flinched.

"Still don't care about him huh? He could be killed!"

"Then let him," Draco stated coldly.

He looked away knowing that one glance would ruin break his cool mask, for a by hint of worry consumed him.

It wasn't until 10 minutes when Harry flew past again, catching the golden egg, just as Draco had predicted.

Harry was In the infirmary for a few days so his shoulder could heal. He received visits from friends and a letter from Sirius Black, his godfather, congratulating him. Ron and he made up, thankfully. He was free to go when Madam Pomfrey gave him his last potion, and scolded him not to do anything stupid so it could heal properly.

He stalked out of the Hospital Wing with his head held high, and pride rushing through his veins. He had actually won! Nothing could rain on his parade, that is until, of course, he literally ran into a ferret.

"We have got to stop greeting each other like this," Harry yelped, grasping his shoulder. "What is it, Malfoy? Come to make fun of my incorrect use of a broom and rant how that isn't allowed." Harry had forgotten about Malfoy completely, and how he had been acting lately.

"Why is your arm still hurt?"

"It's sore," Harry scoffed. "That might happen when one is hit by a dragon. Go ahead, laugh, shove me, make it worse."

"No, I'm not here to hurt you," Draco said, almost annoyed, "I just wanted to congratulate you. And er- erm...I was wondering if... you wanted to come down to the lake, Friday, during dinner," he said sheepishly.

"Like... like a date," Harry questioned.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Draco swallowed. Harry just stared at him, eyes wide.

"What are you playing at," he asked.

Draco turned and started to walk way. "S-sorry I bothered you."

Harry didn't want to but his curiosity got the best of him. He grasped Draco's arm as he started to walk away. "Okay, fine, I'll do it."


	4. Chapter 4: The First Date

**Chapter 4: The First Date**

 **Author's Note: To make up for the super short last chapter, here's a longer one, so enjoy!**

"PANSY!"

Footsteps paraded through the Slytherin bedroom hallway. "What?" She rushed Into the room to see an angry Draco staring down at the clothes that she had picked out for his date with Potter.

"There is no way in hell I'm wearing this!" Draco looked at the two pairs of clothing that was splayed across his bed. There was a fancy suit made of the finest of silk. "Potter is... he's barbaric! And that's my nicest suit! You think I'm going to want to impress him?"

"Well try the other one," Pansy rolled her eyes, realizing it wasn't an emergency. On the other hand, there was a grey t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans.

"Where did you even get that?" Draco gagged and pointed at the audacity of the sloppy clothing.

"I just wanted a place to start," Pansy shouted.

"A place to start? Potter will think I'm some muggle and that I have no class and he will think I'm-"

"Why do you even care what he thinks, Draco? It's a fake date."

"It's not Potter I'm worried about, It's my pride. I want to represent myself with elegance. And for the record I don't give two bollocks on what he thinks."

Pansy just pointed to the second ensemble. Draco just stared at the clothing with a mocking face.

"You honestly think that wearing the most expensive thing I have is going to impress Potter? Are you mental? He's going to feel terrible!He's a peasant and I'm a heir! You do know if my father ever heard about this, I would be slaughtered." His voice cracked at the end of that statement.

"Oh please, he won't find out," she leant her hip against the doorframe. Pansy just continued to stare at him as if he were an moron. It gave Draco an unconfortable pit in his stomach and Draco really doesn't like feeling uncomfortable. Eventually the anger began to knaw at him until he snapped in half.

"What" he snapped. She just rolled her eyes and smirked until she broke out into a few giggles.

"You're overthinking it. You need to think like a girl." She said simply. Draco just looked at her as if she was a insane.

"Wouldn't thinking like a girl make things worse?"

"Not in this case."

Draco almost laughed.

"I'm serious," she took the silence as a need of explanation, "What would you do if you had two pairs of clothing: one too fancy, one too sloppy, and needed to form them into a casual attire?"

He continued to stare but his face lightened up a bit. Knowing she had a plan was always comforting. Again with the lack of speech, she answered for him.

"Are you not a wizard? Think for Merlin's sake."

"Pansy, I'm a boy!"

"A girly boy!"

He scoffed and she took the silence as a 'I'm dumb, please explain this to me,' moment.

"You morph them together!"

"Excellent... Pansy how do we do that without ruining both? I'm not going to destroy my best piece of clothing for that insolent goof-face, Potter"

"Oh stop putting your knickers in a twist." She turned to the bed and began mumbling words that he didn't recognize. It wasn't a few seconds before the two horrific choices were morphed into one classy outfit.

The top was a green, long sleeved dress shirt with cuffs at the end. Draco found that a little dressy for the occasion but it would have to. Better than a t-shirt that's for sure. The pants were a deep grey which was very classy, but casual and really tied the whole thing together.

"Pansy! It's perfect!" He said thinking he was going on an amazing date with a beautiful girl, but then reality hit and he was being set up with the scar-headed golden boy.

"Thank you very much. Now you need to supply food. You're the man in the relationship so you should always pay and always take care of him. I knew you were too selfish to do that so I got a picnic basket for you an-"

"Pansy! What the hell? Man in the relationship? This isn't real. I don't care about him. I'm just doing this to make you and everybody laugh at the embarrassment when this is all over. And when I get a wife I will treat her as a queen and we will live happily ever after. Do you really think I'm that selfish?" His confidence turned into almost hurt.

"No of course not. For Potter you are. You need to make everything believable. Sit closer to him. Brush his hand once or twice. Hug him goodbye!"

"Hug him goodbye? Hug him goodbye! Am I a Hufflepuff, Pansy! Have you no sense of Gryffindor-Slytherin Rivalry?"

"If you had any sense of rivalry, you wouldn't be going on a date with "Harry-King-Of-Gryffindor-Head-Lion- Potter."

"This is different," Draco scoffed, "This is screwing with Gryffindors. It's not dating if it's fake."

"But it should seem real!"

"Pansy, I know."

"Maybe you should hold hands or perhaps-"

"Don't you dare suggest kissing him. That's out of the question," he bit. He let out a shaky breath at the nervous thought of even touching his hand let alone hugging him goodbye. "My first kiss will not be with Saint Potter."

She gestured him to sit down by the vanity so she could magically set each strand of blonde hair into the most flawless place.

"Would you relax, it won't be. This trick won't even get that far. It's not like he's going to be head over hears, ask to marry you and envision you two living together," she said, brushing his locks with her fingers as Draco gagged, "It's just enough to hurt. Besides, why do you even care about your first kiss?"

"Because," Draco started, not really knowing where he was going with it, "it's... I don't know... it's your first one. It has to be perfect or else you're pride is damaged..."

"I very much doubt that," Pansy stroked his hair. "Just don't worry about that yet, and worry about Potter. You need to remember that you two are on a date and that you fancy him, and you need to hint at it. I'm not saying to press every inch of your body together and grope him. Just your arms and chest. Go for five seconds. That's five seconds. You can survive that! Try not to be such a prat. Listen to him. Understand him. Make him fall for you. Understand?"

She finished with a flick of her wand and his hair was perfect. He went into the bathroom to change and came out looking stunning. Any girl would faint at his standing point but no, he had to be with stupid Potter.

Pansy looked at him in one glance and smirked.

"Excellent. Now remember! Make contact with him..." And she explained what else she choreographed for Draco to do while she pushed him out the door and escorted him down to the lake where she would view from afar behind a tree. She helped him set up the blanket and the basket from the picnic. When Potter came she ran behind and elder oak and whispered one last reminder to Draco: body contact.

All he did was roll his eyes and await the hell that was about to greet him.

Harry stood staring at his wardrobe which didn't consist of much. An overgrown pair of jeans from Dudley, a plaid shirt two sizes senior to his own, a stained blue t-shirt, and a pair of old sweats, also Dudley's. Other than his school robes he owned nothing decent.

How was he supposed to go meet Malfoy wearing any of that? And why should he care?

"Hermione," he called from the boys dormitory. He was alone for everyone went to get an early spot for dinner to chat with friends and gossip about the tournament. Hermione stayed back to study for a test in herbology and would eventually catch up with her pals when the main course began.

It wasn't long before he heard footsteps coming up the stairs and a big bushy haired girl walked in looking in need of a rest.

"What is it Harry?"

"If you were to say... erm.. go out with a friend, like a guy friend...what would you want your friend to wear? You personally."

"You have a date don't you!" Harry blushed and turned away from her. " Well go on, spill!"

"I have a friend- well, sort of friend, and h-she wanted to go out tonight and I was wondering what I should wear to erm... impress her...I guess," He said with uncertainty. He really didn't have a clue why he was going out with Malfoy and to be honest, he didn't know why he was not in a state of panic. Malfoy's trouble.

But then again, Harry always finds himself in trouble.

"Well I say we should shrink your clothes to make them fit you tightly. But not too tightly, but snug. And you need to gel your hair!"

"And where am I supposed to find this gel," he asked cluelessly. She rummaged through her trunk and found a tiny jar with blue goo trapped inside with a lid.

She threw it at him and he caught it easily. "Brilliant! Why do you have that anyway?"

"The Yule Ball of course! I knew one of you would be needing it, and hopefully this'll help you get a date. Who is she?"

Harry just avoided the question. How was he supposed to explain to her that he's going down to the lake to meet Draco Malfoy of all people. Instead he asked how to properly use the sticky substance. She just guided her hand into the bathroom where she could see the front of Harry's head though the mirror and began applying it.

It took a mere 20 minutes and he finally got his hair in place. It looked perfectly messy and could arouse any girl walking past but he had to waste it on Malfoy.

When he walked out of the bathroom his plaid flannel was smaller and the blue shirt had somehow been cleaned, no stains to be found. His jeans were also small and had all holes filled with the exact denim that they were constructed of.

Hermione went into the common room to pack her stuff so Harry got a chance to change. Everything fit wonderfully and looked and smelled clean as well. He took one last look around his room and noticed his Firebolt under the bed in which he slept. He decided to take it in case he needed a quick getaway.

Harry walked down the stairs only to give Hermione a great big bear hug and to say thank you.

"Tell me every detail!"

"If all goes well, I will," He smiled and gave her another hug. Then he walked down to the lake to see a blonde head standing facing the forest near the lake. Harry decided to hide his broom so that if things were to go wrong, only he could grab it. Besides, he wouldn't want to be knocked out by his own broom whacking him upside the head.

He threw the stick down and walked towards the hell that awaited him.

"You actually showed up," Harry said nervously, biting his lip. Draco did look rather ravishing with his emerald shirt that hugged him ever so perfectly. His pants were also lovely embracing every curve the boy held. Harry tried not to let that throw him off, and he felt his wand in his pocket, ready to draw it for any hexes coming his way.

"I invited you didn't I," Draco said smoothly.

"You also invited me at a duel in first year but I ended up being caught while you didn't show up," Harry bit. Draco expected what he saw but didn't really mind because Harry pulled it off so well.

"Oh.. right," Draco looked at the floor," I.. I was a prat. I'm sorry about that."

"I don't mean to be rude or anything but why are we here, and why are you apologizing for being a prat? You love being a prat, hell, you love being a prat to me?"

"I... I don't have an answer for you... I don't," Draco gulped, "I don't really know why. I can't explain it," he looked off into the lake. "We've grown, times have changed. We have," he put his hands in his pockets and bit his lip.

Harry eyed him silently and took a deep breath. "Where are we going? Will anyone be able to see us?"

"Just over there and no we won't be seen," Draco was taken aback. "Why? You don't trust me?"

"You've never given me a reason to."

"Listen Potter, I know you aren't ecstatic to be with me and all but I would rather not get caught. The punishments would be intolerable."

"What do you mean by punishments? You aren't going to hex me are you?" He stepped back a little farther, ready to make a run for it.

"Oh. You're nervous about me cursing you. Fine, if it makes you that more comfortable," he reached into his pocket, "take my wand." He crooked his face to one side. It was nice have the knowledge that Harry Potter was afraid of him.

"What?"

"You heard me, take it!" Harry eyed him before taking the wand.

"Come on, let's go." Draco said holding out his arm. But Harry just stared at it., eyes wide. He was didn't know what was scarier: Draco giving him his own wand, or Draco actually being somewhat tolerable to him.

"Go on I'm not going to bite. This is a real date. I promise." But that was a lie. It was planned, a joke, complete hi-jinks.

Harry finally took his arm and it felt so comfortable to do so. It was firm, but soft, and he could smell Draco's cologne easily. It was like they were a perfect fit, it felt so comfortable, in fact it felt extremely comfortable, as if he belonged attached to it forever.

Harry grew jealous of the way that Draco walked. He seemed to float whilst Harry stepped like a baboon.

Harry turned to look at him only to receive a charming smile and Harry drunk in the appearance of Draco's relaxed face. He was genuinely handsome as his features weren't pointed as they were when he was in his continuous smirk. No, they were definitely softened that's for sure.

Draco's forehead ratioed utterly with the rest of his face. His eyebrows were trimmed but Harry couldn't speculate any sign of if he got them waxed or plucked or anything that would result as stunning as that. Next Harry moved to his nose, which was not as pointy as it was when he was sneering at other students.

Finally his eyes. They were a sea of silver not disrupted by anything but the black circle staring right back at then the petal pink lips that Harry purposely tried to avoid was his new target. All he could do is look into the gorgeously designed structure of his lips. But they continued to move and Harry couldn't hear anything.

Harry concluded he was purely pristine, gorgeous, beautiful, and just stared and stared and stared until *snap* Draco flicked his fingers together again and Harry was out of the trance.

"Having a problem, Potter," he smirked. Harry just turned red and looked anywhere but into his eyes. But it was a difficult task because they were so close. "We're here."

Harry looked down to see a green blanket and a dark wooded basket along the edge of the water. He released and sat down across from Draco.

The blonde pulled out two sandwiches and some pumpkin pastes. Along with some water and a rose, it was surprising for both boys. The two ate in uncomfortable silence. They looked off into the distance admiring the beauty of the place.

It wasn't until Draco picked up a tart when Harry asked a question.

"Why did you ask me out on a date?" Curiosity dripped from the words.

"Well, erm I wanted to get to know the real you. Not the Harry Potter that everyone says they know." Draco looked away, a smirking, He was proud he thought of something so deep.

"Oh," Harry said awkwardly, "Wow...that's never happened to me before." He lay on his arms and splayed his legs from the criss cross position he had them in before.

"Really?" At this Draco was more interested in. "You don't you like the attention?"

"No of course I don't! It's the same reason why you wanted to see me tonight. No one cares about me, they just care about Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the one who defeated Voldemort too many times."

"You aren't afraid to say his name?"

"No I'm not." Harry said matter-o-factly. There was a small silence different from before. It lay heavy on Draco's chest that maybe Potter wasn't a show off git.

"So what did you do before Hogwarts?" Draco's genuine curiosity was biting at him.

"I lived with my aunt and uncle but that's even worse than Voldemort to be quite honest to you." Draco looked baffled. Harry continued,

"My uncle aunt and cousin... They aren't the best. Let's just put it that way."

"How so?" Draco finally turned to him meeting the other boy's eye.

"They...they hate magic," Harry stated.

"Hate magic! What kind of wizards are they?"

"That's the thing: they aren't. They're muggles."

"Oh."

"They thought it was weird, in fact they like being muggles."

"Who could ever like being a muggle," Draco asked, although he didn't mean to say it as snobbish as he meant it.

They both looked away for a second to admire the sunset. It had to of been 6 or 7 o' clock.

"Huh, that's weird," Harry said more to himself.

"What?"

"It's just, no one has ever asked about my family besides my parents, you know. No one has ever wanted to know." Draco was silent. "So enough about me. What about you?"

"Well, I mean there isn't much to tell."

"Oh come on there has to be something!" Harry sat up and faced Draco now, and Draco copied.

"Well I was born into a pure blooded fami-" he stopped because a pile of leaves were thrown at him.

"What was that for?" He broke out into something that wasn't a smirk, something so foreign to him, while Harry laughed. The laugh coming from Harry's throat was like Angels singing to Draco's ears. There wasn't anything in the world that would make that note more beautiful.

"Well first of all I know that, second of all I don't care, and third of all boring," Harry said, amused. Draco's mouth hung open. "Oh come on, Malfoy, get a little personal. What did you do as a pass time?" Harry scooted a few more inches to Draco, and Draco didn't seem to mind.

"Well, I liked to read."

"Okay go back to your family history that's even worse!"

"Ha-ha, funny. Think you're so clever, Potter! But seriously I only read. That's all my family allowed me to do, besides practice Quidditch. Are you happy now? I have my hobbies and my family history wrapped into one statement."

"Yes I am. So, done with the boring stuff," Harry got enthusiastic, "who is your favorite seeker?"

"You." Harry blushed a little but saw through the lie.

"I'm flattered and all but seriously who?"

"You! And in second, Victor Krum."

"There is no way I could ever beat Krum!"

"I believe you can," Draco lied, and lied well.

"No way!

"Yes way!"

A bug flew up Harry's nose causing him to sneeze. His round glasses flew off of him and into the grass beside him.

"Where are my glasses? I can't see!"

"Hold on, I've got them."

They were in between Harry's arm and Harry's thigh on his left side in the grass. Draco reached over, not giving a second thought to it and grabbed the spectacles, brushing his hand in the process. The same feeling went through them as they touched, causing them both to freeze all over.

"Did you erm... Did you get them?" Harry's voice cracked.

"Yeah, yeah I did." Draco swallowed and put on Harry's glasses, only to be drawn into the ocean of emerald. Harry inhabited the most beautiful irises in the world. Not only were there green, but also microscopic specks of brown and yellow, only to be seen when up close. Harry was lost in Draco's eyes as well when suddenly a crack came from the forest. They both turned their heads towards the group of trees but Draco nervously covered it up.

"Probably just the wind," he said, and Harry turned back to Draco. It would be horrific for the plan to end now. Things were going so well.

"I didn't know your eyes were green."

"Erm, yeah, they have been since I was born," Harry bit his lip awkwardly. Draco snorted.

"Since you're so into flying, why don't we go on my broom, I um... Brought it with me."

"S-sure," he hesitantly said.

They walked up to the tree in which held Harry's firebolt.

Harry swung his legs over the front part, leaving room for Draco by the tail.

"Well come on then!" Draco was still standing 3 yards away from the broom. "Yes I only got one broom, I'm not that rich. Now hop on!"

Draco obeyed and swung a leg around the tail.

"Um, Draco, you're going to have to hold on to me if you don't want to fall off."

"Right... Wait you just called me Draco!"

"That's your name isn't it?"

Draco bit his lip to keep from.. what ever they called it that wasn't smirking. Harry kicked off the ground and went straight upward at a 70 degree angle. All either of them could hear was Draco's screams jumping from his mouth as Harry flew upside down and did a barrel roll. Harry continued to go faster and did a loop-de-loop then he too started to shout. Draco held on tighter Harry and it felt so right to; he didn't care what direction he went in for he knew he was safe in Harry's grasp.

All of a sudden Harry flew upwards at a 90 degree angle and the woo's coming from Draco's mouth were now penetrating shrieks replaced by the wind. They went so high that if they looked down they could see the tip of the top of the highest tower.

It seemed like miles until they stopped. And Draco understood why. The sun had almost set, only the very tip was visible and stars had come out. They were above the clouds.

"This is incredible, Potter," Draco exclaimed, resting his head on Harry's shoulder. Harry tipped his head so that his neck formed to Draco's skull. His hair was so soft and smelled like wind and a small scent of cucumber.

The sun had just set behind the earth and darkness surrounded the boys, what felt like hours later, when they decided to head back down.

"Ready," Harry broke the silence.

All he felt was the head move forward and back once on his shoulder and he took off. It wasn't until they were halfway down until Draco realized what he was doing. He lifted his head off of Harry only leaving him wanting to stay there.

'Draco, you idiot! You are supposed to make him fall for you not the other way around! And what man are you? He's taking you on a broomstick ride and you're just sitting on the back like a lost puppy! You're the man in the relatio- WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?'

They finally reached the ground and jumped off the broom.

"Thank you, Potter," Draco put his mask on again, the objective in sight, "It was um.. It was fun!"

"Thanks! I had a wonderful time! We should do this again," Harry smiled, and Draco found he didn't mind his smile.

"I agree," Draco nodded. Harry started to walk away but then turned around.

"I forgot to give you your wand," he said still smiling like an idiot. He reached into his pocket to find the wand that belonged to the Slytherin.

Draco dipped his head as Harry headed towards the castle, but Draco stopped him by grabbing his arm. 'Hug him!' Pansy shouted in his brain. He spun Harry around and wrapped his arms around him only so that their chests were touching. Harry didn't react at first but then slabbed his arm around Draco as well. It felt... weird.

The blonde mentally counted 1...2...3...4...5 and he released.

Harry pulled back also and looked into Draco's silver irises. They started walking up to the castle together.

"When would you like to do this again," Harry asked.

"Oh- erm.. I'm fine with whenever you're free. I can make time."

All Harry did was smile. They reached the castle doors.

"I'll owl you. Good night, Draco."

"Don't you dare call me that in front of anyone or I swear I'll hex you, prat. Goodnight Potter."

"Goodnight, Malfoy" he emphasized the name.

And the both walked separate ways, both smiling like idiots, that is until Draco turned the corner and his genuine smile turned into an evil smirk, satisfied with how easy this was to be.

 **Author's Note: and another chpater gone! Please remember to read and review...it helps me update faster**


	5. Chapter 5: Falling for the Slytherin

**Chapter Five: Falling for the Slytherin**

The next morning Harry walked into the great hall with a bright eyes shining. He had a microscopic upward twist on his lips. He couldn't quite pinpoint why he enjoyed Draco's company the previous night. They just had a conversation and then went flying. It was a simple outing and could be done with any girl and probably would have had the same reaction on Harry's part.

Harry sat down in his usual spot at the Gryffindor table, next to Ron and Hermione. Thankfully Ron and him made up after the first task when he came to his senses. He immediately shoveled scrambled eggs onto his plate with a piece of bacon and a slice of toast. Ron was already finished and slurping in his pumpkin juice while Hermione was chewing on a sausage.

"Good morning Harry," Hermione said as she wiped her mouth from stray crumbs. She received a very cheerful smile back with a good morning along with it.

"Oi, mate, what's got you all smiley this morning?" Ron said.

"It was his date last night," Hermione interrupted.

"Shh," Harry scolded. "May as well announce it to the entire Hall why don't you?" He really didn't have a cover story for the date with Draco, so he just played it off as he came up with fairy tales of the perfect girl.

"What date? How come he didn't tell me he had a date? With who," Ron pushed, feeling left out.

"It wasn't a date," Harry argued, "I was seeing whether or not I liked the girl and I kinda did."

"Kinda," Ron questioned, sipping on his pumpkin juice.

"Well... she surprised me."

"Well who is it then?" Hermione was practically begging.

"I'm not saying yet," Harry smiled to himself and continued eating. He heard a groan coming from his friend's mouths.

"And how was your night," he asked the two of them.

"Well, we-" Ron was interrupted by owls flying through the great hall to deliver mail. Everywhere you looked, children's eyes would light up whether it be a copy of the Daily Prophet or a letter from a loved one.

Something out of the ordinary occurred. A tawny school owl dropped off a small piece of parchment onto Harry's plate, then flew away as quickly as it came. Harry examined the piece of paper as unrecognizable. The color was darker and looked extremely durable. Harry unfolded the note to see extremely neat handwriting. It was signed in emerald ink and was scripted in the purest of cursive Harry had ever laid eyes on.

Same time same place. Bring a broom.

D.

Before anyone could read it, Harry shoved it in his robe pocket, and he thanked Godric everyone was preoccupied with a hideous pair if dress robes Ron got in the mail. Hermione received her usual copy of the Prophet. Articles aligned in black and white displayed gossip of the tournament with the front page an article of Harry. The picture above the writing was Hermione and himself embracing and tearing apart right before the first task. He knew this wouldn't be good. Hermione's answer on the subject was just 'rubbish" and she moved on skimming story's and texts alike.

Harry couldn't keep himself from looking up at Draco wondering if he has seen the article. Draco felt his stares and looked up with his eyes close to watering and the Gryffindor felt his heart hurt. Dismay engulfed his features.

Harry mouthed "tonight" and gave him an apologetic look. Draco bit his lip and finally agreed looking sheepishly back to his food before pushing it away, leaving with Pansy. Of course this would upset him. Draco fancied him very much and Harry knew that. He couldn't be taking it well.

Draco headed down to breakfast in a wonderful mood. His plan was going perfectly and Harry was failing for him.

The Slytherin took a seat next to Pansy and Blaise as usual, Crabbe and Goyle across from them.

"How did the date go?" Crabbe asked. Draco smirked and looked at Harry who was reading the note he sent him.

"Let's just say, he's wrapped around my finger and his grip is slipping. It's won't be soon until he's falling."

"Don't you think things are going a little fast," Pansy asked, " I mean, you've only been on one date and if you say it's going this well, maybe he used to have a crush on you."

"You think?" Blaise questioned.

"It's possible."

"No," Draco said, "I think that he just has so much 'love' in him that he needs to show it towards something... well, someone."

"That was deep. I didn't know you were capable of such an emotional thinking process" Blaise teased.

"Oh shut it, Blaise," Pansy ordered, "Wait, here's another opportunity! Draco take the prophet and act like you're reading it."

"What why?" Draco looked through a stack of papers for the newspaper.

"Look at the front page," she said as he flipped it open. It was a picture of the mudblood and Potter hugging. At The first glimpse Draco understood, raised an eyebrow, smirked, and then changed his face to one of despair. He thought of something to make his eyes water and then looked up to Potter.

He pretended to be accepting to Harry and then got up to leave with his best friend arm in arm. Pansy, thankfully, was an excellent actress and asked if Draco was okay as they turned the corner out of the Great Hall.

The two Slytherins laughed and strolled their way to Herbology.

"See you at the lake, Potter."

The day went by dreadfully for Harry. He was in Ancient Runes, a terribly boring class, but the professor didn't care if his students payed attention or not. He just went through the motions while the class zoned out.

The guilt was eating at him. Even though he and Draco weren't and 'item', Harry felt terrible for hurting him. Wait... did he not cringe at the thought of them being an 'item'?

Harry used to see Draco as an enemy. The enemy.

But now he's had a a true conversation with the boy, and it seemed like he really connected with Draco. He never felt so comfortable with Ron or Hermione.

Plus Draco was handsome, that was a bonus.

The more and more he thought about Draco and that single solitary conversation, and the way he walked, and the way he talked, and how his arm felt, and his skin, the more Harry wanted to be with him.

Could he be falling for the Slytherin?

"Draco, hi" Harry said, almost breathlessly when he came running down a hill towards the lake, carrying his broom.

The blonde turned around. "Potter," He said falsely dismayed, but Harry didn't notice.

"Listen, I know the article said a bunch false accusations, but it was a fake I swear. Me and Hermione- we're just friends. Stupid Skeeter just caught us in the right moment." The amount of butterflies in his stomach were unbearable as he choose his words carefully.

Draco's hard face relaxed a bit before he set out a smirk.

"Good, I'm happy you told me. I thought you didn't want to come tonight."

"No! I did- I mean I do.. I mean.. I'm here," he stuttered.

"I'm glad you are," Draco snorted at the inital audacity of his stuttering. Harry smiled, as if a large wieght was lifted off of his chest. Draco held out his arm once again, just as he did the night before, and Harry took it.

They walked to a small spot right next to the water. Harry looked into Draco's pools of silver once more, begin captured within them. He was so out of it that he didn't notice the branch that was right in front of him and he jammed his foot into it taking him and Draco both down. They tumbled down the rest of the hill and Harry was on top of Draco.

Harry's deep breathing caused his chest to bob up and down and he smiled, still splayed a top of Draco. He found himself lost in Draco's eyes again. They were particularly breath-taking when the sun hit them a certain way, as they were now. "S-sorry."

And then he looked at Draco's lips and felt the urge to lean down, so he did but stopped when Draco stopped him.

"Umm Potter, do you mind getting off of me?" Draco wanted to be anywhere but where he was, in fact he wished he was being tortured by Lord Voldemort himself.

Harry's face changed from a blank expression to one filled with confusion.

"What?" Draco asked, his voice cracking. He swore he'd never been more uncomforable in his life.

"Your.. Your eyes. They're a different shade than normal."

"What? That's not possible!" Draco shoved Harry off of him as fast as he could. He must have been seeing fear. That's why his eyes changed..right? It definitely couldn't be because of the non exist any crush on Harry. Fear. That's what Draco told himself.

"Hey what was that for," Harry asked, wiping leaves from his body..

"Sorry, I..I wasn't thinking."

"What do you mean that's not possible?"

"Hmm?"

"Your eyes."

"I didn't say anything! What are you talking about," Draco tried to sound cool but it wasn't covering up very well.

"You said that it wasn't possible to change color in your eyes."

"Yeah... right, just forget it." Draco got up and grabbed his broom and a snitch that he brought along. "Ready to play?"

"We haven't eaten yet!"

"We can eat later, come on!" Draco kicked off from the ground and flew over the lake. He just really want to be away from Harry right now, (or Harry's body rather) so the only way to do that is if they couldn't touch each other.

Harry grabbed his firebolt and kicked off meeting Draco in the sky, leaving the confusion behind.

"Lumos," Draco shouted, "There, now no matter what time it is, we can see the snitch."

"Good idea," Harry said.

"Whoever catches it first wins"

"I know how to play, Malfoy."

"Good, then play!"

"Come on then!"

The blonde took the que to release the snitch. They played for what seemed hours, and it was well past dark when the boys got tired enough to stop. The whole time they were laughing and calling each other names as a tease for the other to step up the competition. They were both covered in sweat when they landed and didn't feel the need to eat in the dark.

"Thank you, Draco! It was fantastic."

"No, thank you, Potter! I had a brilliant time."

"Everything's a competition with you! The pleasure is mine," Harry laughed, bumping into him as they walked. Draco smirked as he did so, then was quiet for a while. "When can we see each other again," Harry interrupted the sweet, sweet silence. "I have dancing lessons every day now and I won't have time to meet up with you." Draco's face went into a disappointment mask, but inside he was screaming 'YES'. "The Yule ball is coming up and I was wondering..."

"Potter, we can't go together-"

"Harry. Call me Harry."

"Harry, we can't. No one knows about this and if they did, it would cause an absolute uproar and if we continue the way we are, I would advise we keep it a secret. Besides my family would never accept that I'm g-gay and it would really suck trying to explain this one to them, especially having to tell them I have a crush on Potter-" Draco didn't know what he was saying.

"So you admit you have a crush on me," Harry raised an eyebrow.

"We've been on two dates, Potter-"

"Harry."

"Harry," Draco corrected.

"How long," Harry asked, his heart beating from his chest.

Draco swallowed, trying to come up with something. "A while," he acted ashamed, looking off into the horizon.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Right, that would have gone over well. 'Oh, gee Potter, sorry to bump into you, just wanted to say I've had a giant crush on you since the robe shop and it got much worse when you rejected being my friend."

"That long?"

"I'm not very good with feelings, Harry." Especially ones that I don't have.

"I mean, you did seem sort of pedophilic in the library."

"One of my many pick-up lines," Draco smirked.

"So there's more?"

Draco was silent a bit. "Possibly."

There was a quiet moment and then Harry spoke again. "I would love to hear them."

"Really," Draco perked up. Harry nodded, grinning.

"And I want to have dance with you," Harry blurted out. He couldn't stop himself from saying those words and he immediately shut up once they were gone.

"Maybe we could do one in private."

"I'll try and find you! We can play it off like we are in a fight or something."

"Of course." Draco tried to disguise the disgust of the thought of dancing with the scarhead. They reached the bridge, and Draco couldn't be happier. "Good night Harry, see you then."

Draco started to walk away, not wanting to do anything with Harry, however an arm caught him on his shoulder. Harry positioned himself closer to the blonde and kissed his cheek.

"Good night, Draco," Harry smiled.

"Erm Harry, how long have you wanted to do that," Draco froze.

There was silence. Harry was contemplating an answer, but he couldn't really muster one. "I...I really don't know."

Draco put up the worst fake smile and walked away. He turned the corner after the bridge and broke into a sprint, as if the spit on his face left over from Harry's lips were burning him. It wasn't fire but it was sparks. Sparks no one has ever given him before, but to Draco, he took it as fire.

What has he gotten himself into?

Harry stood there in shock of what he just did. He just kissed Draco Malfoy's cheek. He just kissed Draco Malfoy's cheek.

It felt so comfortable for his lips to be pressed against the soft skin he possessed.

Harry kept thinking and thinking until he finally came up with a conclusion for his actions: he was falling for Draco Malfoy.

And he smiled at that though


	6. Chapter 6: The Yule Ball

Chapter Six: The Yule Ball

The weeks leading up to the Yule Ball went by slowly. Harry had dance lessons after classes, along with bundles of essays due the next day, so even thinking of meeting up with Draco was out of the question.

During lessons, Harry would find himself gazing at the other boy until on one of his friends or the professor would snap him out of it.

"What are you looking at Harry," Ron would say. And he would just say he zoned out thinking about the tournament, even though his pondering thoughts were of Draco Malfoy.

Harry hated the fact that they couldn't never be see each other in public without a glare or a flying hex. He wished he could have a relationship, without having to worry about Draco's family's finding out, or his image being ruined.

Finding a date for the Yule ball was difficult enough for Harry. No girl wanted to go with him, and that emphasized how much he wanted to go with Draco to begin with.

What also emphasized how much he wanted to go with Draco was when the blonde winked at him, or bit his lip in potions when he saw him... Harry thought that was really cute.

It was the night of the Yule Ball. Harry was in the Gryffindor dorm, putting on his tie when Ron walked in.

"Hi." Ron hung his head down looking at his hideous dress robes in the mirror. They were laced in the ugliest pattern and no colors of the attire seemed to compliment one another.

Harry on the other hand had on classic pair of black robes with a classic white dress shirt and inky black bottoms. His hair was combed back with the leftover gel from Hermione sticking it in place. His glasses were cleaned to shine and his teeth were whitened by a simple charm.

But he didn't care because he wasn't spending the night with Draco. All he could do was think about the blond. He imagined having his arms fastened around his own body, looking into his cool grey eyes, smelling his cologne. These thoughts were intoxicating and teased Harry and every fiber of his being until...

"Hey mate! You okay?" Ron snapped him out of his trance. "You've been really zoning out lately. You alright?"

"Yeah I'm, I'm fine" he said softly. He looked in the mirror one final time and went down to the chamber outside of the Great Hall to meet his date, Parvati Patil.

Draco looked in the mirror of his own bedroom. He was so thankful in times like these that the Slytherins had different sleeping chambers. It added a sense of privacy that the impatient snakes needed.

He examined his own appearance and the result ended him being pleased. His hair was combed back, with not a single strand out of place. His robes were stitched with a deep green fabric and sewn together with black thread. His tie was a classic black with diamond accents. In his pocket was his very special family heirloom: a silver pocket watch, embroidered with green emeralds in the shape of a coiled snake with its head on the bottom and it's tail freely moving on top. It had been passed down from generation to generation in the Malfoy family.

There was a knock on the door: Pansy. Draco had decided to go with her in the light of past events, torturing Harry and all. Besides he hasn't had the time or the energy to look for a girl in his tastes, if there were any in the school to begin with.

Draco opened the door to see the young girl in a purple gown. The shades transformed from lavender to a bruised plum and sparkles sprinkled the outer layer. It reached down to her toes where her shoes were. The high heels were based with black silk and had diamond run across from the tip to the back such as a slithering snake. Her hair was formed in a braid and then wrapped into a bun with a few strands hanging in the front of her face. The bun was accented with purple and silver jewels along with a violet clip holding the masterpiece together.

"Wow, you look beautiful, Pansy," Draco was astonished. The girl really did know how to dress up.

"Thank you, you look quite stunning yourself. It's sure to make Potter jealous!"

"If all goes right, I might have him falling so hard for me tonight, no matter how fast he climbs, he will never get out." Draco smirked.

"Ready to go," she said and she held out her arm.

"Yes I am." He assured himself that the pocket watch was in his right pocket and took the girl's arm headed down to the Great Hall together, trying to keep himself from yearning Potter's arm instead. The one he had was too weak.

Harry waited by one of the many torches that lit the school for Parvati to show up. He was standing next to Ron whom felt as if he wanted to die. The robes were hideous and he had received laughs already and the night hadn't even begun. But Harry refused to leave him; they were best friends and appearances meant nothing to one another.

Just then Hermione walked down the staircase leading to the Great Hall, Draco and Pansy following right behind her. There were gasps as everyone saw Hermione, but Harry's gasp went to Draco. He looked absolutely stunning. The only thing Harry could see was the blond.

How he strode down every step, and how flawless his hair was, and how beautiful his flawless face was dazzled Harry. What seemed like forever Draco reached the bottom and everything was in slow motion. He continued to stroll to the doors, as he passed Harry he winked and said "like what you see, Potter?" And then continued on as if nothing happened.

Harry just stood there wished he would return until Hermione snapped him out of it.

"God, what's Malfoy on about? You were just looking at 'Mione," Ron stated in disgust. Harry agreed and complimented Hermione on her fabulous attire until

"Champions over here please!" McGonagall could be heard from throughout the whole school with the volume she pursued. Ron took his date into the Great Hall and Harry lined up with the three other Champions.

Draco picked a spot near the ropes which led the path for the champions to walk through. The music started and the doors opened. First Cedric and Cho walked in, following Viktor and Hermione, Fleur and her date, and Harry and Parvati.

Harry, and whoever that girl was, locked arms and Draco's heart felt something, something he's never felt before. The closer and closer they walked towards Draco and Pansy, the more and more this pain grew and the more the hurt intensified.

"Draco," Pansy said over the roar or the crowd, "stop making that face, it looks like you want to rip Patil's throat out!" Draco quickly adjusted and covered his face in a mask.

The music changed from heroic to classical and the dancing began. Everyone was twirling wonderfully, but Draco didn't care. He kept his eyes on Harry and Patill.

They were extremely close, dangerously in Draco's point of view, and the way that Harry looked into her eyes drove the Slytherin mad. He had his hand on her waist which also seemed alarmingly low, even if it was her midback in which his hand was. It should have been him in those arms, not that stupid girl.

Then suddenly Draco was pulled by Pansy onto the dance floor. Draco didn't realize how many people were on the floor itself until he ventured onto it. Most people were stepping simultaneously, while a few were sitting on the side waiting for courage take over.

Draco, in a trance and completely out of focus, stepped on Pansy's foot as the horrid disease that caught him on fire spread to his stomach.

"Ow," she complained, "What has gotten into you?"

"R-right, sorry." The music continued for another 30 seconds and then stopped. The band scheduled to play started their first piece while Draco pulled Pansy by her wrist out of the Great Hall and around to corner to the start of the labyrinth of moving staircases.

"What's wrong with you," Pansy started but shyly stopped. She looked dead into Draco's eyes.

Draco grew uncomfortable in this moment and then began to blink a few times more than normal.

"What!?" He bit at her, getting greatly irritated.

"Your eyes! They're different colors," Pansy gasped, "Draco that means-"

Draco's eyes split open, and his throat closed. "No, Pansy! No!"

Harry finished the dance and his feet were already sore. He hated the dance and he hated his date. He had nothing against the poor girl, but she was nothing like Draco.

But Draco was nowhere to be found. Harry would do anything to dance with him, even if it took them being alone in a broomstick cupboard or an abandoned hallway. Harry told Ron that he was leaving to the restroom, lying, and he set off to find Draco.

He turned the hall not knowing where he was going, until once again he heard voices.

"What?" The masculine one said- Draco!

"Your eyes! They're different colors," the girl said. Harry assumed it was Pansy. Why was Draco so upset about his eyes changing color? Sometimes, depending on the time, Harry's would change from emerald, to a greenish brown, or even a lighter green. What was the big deal?"

"No Pansy! No!"

"You can't tell me you are falling for him! What happened to him falling for you?"

"I'm not falling for him! Like hell I would ever fall for Potter! He's pathetic!"

Harry must of heard incorrectly. Didn't Draco have a huge crush on him?

"But Draco, we've gone so far into the plan-"

"I don't care about some stupid plan Pansy! I don't! What were we supposed to do after tonight? I've already hugged that urchin! What's next?"

Silence.

"Pansy, a kiss. No, never in my life do I wish to kiss Harry Potter! It would be hell, and you know the rules about my first kiss. Bottom line is: I don't like him, I never will ever like him let alone love him, I'm never going to fall for him. Don't you see how much of an idiot he is? Falling for the son of a death eater! It was all just a game!"

"It can't be that bad if he's-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!"

"Well, what are you going to do, dump him," Pansy asked.

"You don't need to," Harry said darkly.

"Well if it isn't Potter," Draco gave the biggest smirk he could possibly have, cocking his head to the side, "Possibly the biggest fool in the entire school. At least you made it easier on me, now I don't have to cause a whole scene in the Great Hall. I can just laugh at you now." Draco started to laugh when a fist connected with his nose, and he was thrown to the ground. Harry jumped on top of Draco pinning him to the tile beneath him.

"So it was all just a game," Harry bit.

"Well yes, if you haven't noticed by now," he smirked

A hand connected with his face once more.

"You've had me falling for you for weeks, just distracting me? You really hate me that much!"

"As a matter of fact, yes I do," Draco stated as blood poured from his nose. "It was hilarious to be honest with you! I had you chasing after me like a lost puppy. My only regret is you finding out now."

"I hate you." Harry with as much malice as he possibly could. A tear flowed freely from his eye but he wiped it to look into Draco's eyes. Pansy was right, Draco's eyes were a blueish silver, almost mercury, but they reflected a single emotion: hurt. That couldn't be possible; the plan was completely unreal, fake, fabricated, and this was probably another part of it.

Draco paused a bit and conjured a free hand without the scarhead noticing. Draco's face went from sort of sad to the biggest smirk he could produce at the time and then said "The feeling is mutual, Potter." He punched the confused boy.

Blood spilled from his nose onto the floor which distracted Draco. He felt his stomach twist and his heart burn. Draco stared down at the pool, not noticing the fist connecting to his nose.

One pool of blood became two and they were throwing punches faster and faster. Pansy knew she had to stop this before it got too out of hand, but before she had the chance

"STOP IT BOTH OF YOU," Professor McGonagall shouted.

"Professor," Harry started but was stopped by her hand, which he was hopeful for, because what story could he come up with anyway, especially with the banging headache and loss of feeling in half of his face.

"I don't want to hear it! Both of you have detention in my office December 26th at 7 a.m. and 50 points will be taken from both your houses. Now off to the hospital wing, the two of you! Now!"

"Nice fooling you, Potter," Draco said before he turned his back. Harry was about to punch him in the back of the head, but the professor sent him a stern scowl and he turned to walk away as well.

Harry nor Draco went up the hospital wing, but to their separate common rooms, with heavy hearts.

"I'll get you for this Malfoy, just wait and see," Harry blinked through his tears as he walked up to his dormitory.


	7. Chapter 7: Detention

**Chapter Seven: Detention**

 **Author's Note: Quick update have fun with your existence**

Harry couldn't get any sleep that night. Once he reached his dormitory, the blood dripping down his nose stopped, but the slow tears continued. The boy walked to the bathroom and closed the door with a click of the lock.

Harry tried to stop crying and held it in as much as possible, only a few chokes parting from his throat. He ripped off if his clothes with so much anger his buttons were pinched off of the attire itself. He pulled off his trousers, and was frustrated as pant legs got caught on his foot. That was when all the pressure was too much to bare and he broke.

He put his hands in the sink and sobbed. His heart hurt so much. It wasn't the fact that he really liked being with Draco so much; it was that he was fooled so easily, as well as the fact he couldn't tell anybody about it without being a laughing stock.

He already had so much angst from all those years of battling someone else's war, with Lord Voldemort. Along with the Triwizard Tournament in the back of his head itching at him, he hadn't even tried to figure out who put his name in the goblet. He and Ron just made up, but there is still tension and he didn't feel any support from either of his friends whatsoever.

He wished he had a father, and he wished he had a mother.

Harry figured out that he never cared so much for Malfoy, the feeling was not from his charm or from his talk, but from the attention itself. The looks and his personality were just accessories to the real prize, and Harry fell in love with the person that wanted to get to know him, just as Malfoy planned.

He wiped the dried blood from his lip and cleared the dried tears from his cheeks. His nose was already bruising and thunderously throbbed. He took his clothing and left the bathroom to find no one back yet, thankfully, and he stuffed his robes into the drawer, not caring if he wrinkled them.

He slammed the door to the dresser and jumped onto his bed, ready for hell to take over the night. Harry closed his scarlet curtains and placed a silence charm over his canopy to assure no one could hear his stomach boiling in rage.

He plotted.

Draco walked up to his separate room holding his nose. The punch Harry threw was much harder than the one he sent in return, and his pride stung because of it. His whole face was throbbing and felt as though it was to dent any second.

His heart also hurt, but Draco never had such a burning pain before, so the feeling was intensified drastically to the naked eye.

Draco's stomach was also searing. Harry punched him there too, but it wasn't the bruising, but butterflies fluttering furiously, and he felt as if he was ill.

It couldn't be regret; he doesn't regret things. He doesn't feel sorrow; that couldn't be it. But it certainly couldn't be love; he never even understood compassion.

So what was it that made him feel so queasy?

This 'illness' affected his every organ and drove Draco to the point of madness.

He went to his own personal bathroom and wiped off the blood, revealing a clammy wreak. Draco's nose was so purple and swollen, he thought he'd been hit with a beater's bat. But what drove him to extremes was not his bruises or his bloodied nose, but his eyes were mercury, the most dimensional color they had ever turned.

Damn it!

Draco took off his shirt to reveal a bruised abdomen, so big that it spread across his lower stomach in purple and black. He had a few other bruises in random places, nothing too horrible, except large spot on his hip that crossed to his lower backbone. That must of been from when he was shoved to the floor.

Draco looked back up to his numb face to see a single tear form in the corner of his eye. Draco wiped it onto his finger and watched it slide down his limb until he took his other hand and am swatted it away. Boiling with anger, Draco ran the sink and began to drench his face in the liquid that cascaded out of it.

"No, stop it," he told himself, "You can't be, I won't allow it. You aren't gay, so don't even think about it! It was a joke, a game. He means nothing!"

His insides disagreed and sent him in a flurry of foreign emotions: sorrow, regret, and compassion, eating at him.

He didn't want to feel, but he did, and he sent himself into a panic at the thought that he could possibly be falling for a boy he swore he never would.

On Christmas morning as everyone slept in, Harry was lying awake in his curtained bed, still sniffling the time away. Although any form of stray tears cleared well before three, congestion and snot still manifested in him, and his nose hurt even worse than what it did hours before, and when it got to be alarmingly painful, he nuzzled any last form of courage and got up from his bed.

Harry unveiled the curtains and speculated what he expected. All the 4th year boys were settled in their tip toed across the dormitory into the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it, just so nobody would walk in. Harry turned to the mirror to find his nose bruised and a little bit swollen.

His face pale, tears were stained on his cheeks and his t-shirt had spots everywhere. The dark circles under his eyes were evidence of his 'good' night sleep and his sickly green eyes were dull and grainy.

Harry started the shower with squeaks of the drain pipe, and warm water penetrate his skin immediately as he stepped under it.

Harry soaped his face and body, rinsed, and repeated the lather about 3 times. He shampooed his hair with his favorite scent: cucumber.

His soap was lavender so exiting the shower sent an array of sweet scents throughout the moisture in the air. He put on a towel to his lower abdomen and wiped the mirror to find his face was looking much better. No trace of tears were found and his dark circles shrunk to crescent moons.

Harry put on clothes and headed down stairs where Ron and Hermione greeted him with shocked looks on their faces.

"Harry! What happened to you last night," Ron asked in a gasp.

"What happened to your nose Harry? Here let me fix it." Hermione flicked her wand and his bruise was gone.

"Thanks. Well last night I met up with the person I've been seeing for a while- they were just really upset about me not asking them, so I was punched and um well I got angry so I walked out and Malfoy... Malfoy was just Malfoy and just I attacked him," he lied shakily and uncertainty. "Me and Malfoy have detention tomorrow bright and early, because the best way to start off my day would be seeing that disgusting prat. Don't get me wrong, we both beat each other up pretty badly, so I reckon it will take all day. What happened at the ball last night? I left after the first song."

The two friends agreed and they all continued to talk about random things and events about the ball, and anything else that came to mind for what seemed for hours. After that, the trio went to lunch and walked around the school and lake, visited Hagrid's hut, and then went back to dinner. Following the day's events, the three caught up to the fellow Gryffindors in the common room to open presents.

Harry received the general: a box of candy from Hagrid, a brand new matching quill set from Hermione, quidditch stuff from Ron, as well as a sweater from Mrs. Weasely, and a letter from Sirius Black attached with more candy.

Although they were having all too much fun, he went to sleep early that night, ready to put revenge right in Draco's lap.

Detention, 7 a.m.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, please take a seat." McGonagall stated. Harry picked a spot in a completely different desk from the insolent brat. "First I would like the each of you to write me a 18 inch long essay on why violence is prohibited and what you can do to stop it from happening." She ignored groans. "After you complete the task, you will clean the floors of this entire room by hand. No magic allowed. I shall be taking your wands."

They both reluctantly gave them up and started scribbling on their parchment. It took about 2 hours before one if them finished and it was Draco, however Harry was almost shocked that the boy didn't have a malicious smirk on him. This would be the first real time that Harry has seen him so naked.

Harry finished not long after and grabbed a broom. They both started at the back of the room and swept the tile floor, and were almost at the top near McGonagall's desk when the witch spoke.

"Alright, you two have behaved well enough to where I can leave you alone. When you finish,Y throw away the dust in the bin next to my desk, your wands will automatically release and you may go. I for one have a very important meeting to tend to with Professor Dumbledore. Behave you two."

And she walked out, giving Harry the perfect opportunity to execute his plan.

Draco just started to pick up his grime in the dustpan when he was slammed against the wall by Harry. Dust scattered everywhere, but the Gryffindor didn't care. Draco was afraid of where he was going to get punched, but Harry had greater ideas.

Harry put both of his feet on Draco's so any hope for him getting away was terminated. Harry leaned in to his ear, hot breath causing Draco to shiver beneath him.

"So Draco," Harry whispered hotly, their bodies pressed together so tightly, he could sense him struggling so he slammed his hands against the wall yet again, "you like to play games, huh?" Draco just swallowed. "I like games too. How about we play one right now?"

Harry filled the gap as Draco braced himself for physical pain, crushing their lips together. The blonde was in such a state of shock that all he could do was stare into the closed eyelids in front of him. He couldn't breathe- hell, he didn't want to breathe even if he could.

Harry's lips were firm, from what he could tell since they were slammed up against him, and didn't dare move a muscle, ensuring he would have no clue as to what he tasted like.

Harry finally released when he was out of air, seeing Draco's reaction (which was one of horror), and deciding to torture him further, so he smashed their lips together again, grasping him by his collar and pulling him from the wall so he could get a better, harder angle. He then was slammed back against the wall, Harry moaning just to annoy him. This time Draco looked up, as though he was begging the heavens for him to stop.

Harry released once more and Draco's face turned to a one of begging, red and flushed. "Stop it!"

But Harry went in a third time, almost bruising their lips, but all he could do was force it out of anger. Draco tried curling his lips in and closed his eyes as tight as he could, not wanting any of this to be true.

After what seemed like days, Harry let go from the other boys mouth for the last time.

"I hate you so much," Draco spat, wiping his mouth of the Potter germs when Harry stepped off of him.

"The feeling is mutual," Harry smiled before punching him in the jaw. "Look who won the game now." He grabbed his wand and went out the door with a smirk of victory plastered on his face, leaving a flabbergasted Draco wiping his mouth, yet again, on the floor of the transfiguration classroom.


	8. Chapter 8: The Second Task

**Chapter 8: The Second Task**

Draco just sat there, staring at the spot in which Harry was just standing. He wiped his mouth furiously, though he fathom if he wanted to or not. He wasn't positive whether or not Potter had felt what he felt, the tingling, burning... horrid... audacity feeling.

Draco hated to admit anything- even to himself. He hated saying he may or may not have liked the kiss, simply because he wanted to deny the whole thing in general.

After a few rocky, unstable breaths, he stood up trying to receive the broom and dustpan that he dropped on impact. Draco reached down for the broom and swept up all the dirt shakily before grabbing the dustpan. He picked up the object but his hand shook so hard he almost dropped it once more. He picked up all the dust and threw it away no matter how much spread on the floor on the way. His wand released and he grabbed it with uncertainty, as if it was unfamiliar to him, then backed up against the wall and let himself fall down before almost breaking down.

"No Draco, that didn't happen, that did not happen, it was all a dream- no, a nightmare. You did not just have your first kiss stolen by Harry Potter. You. did. NOT. enjoy. it. Don't even think about falling for him. Remember what father told you! Love is worthless, meaningless, foolish. Don't get trapped under a spell you won't come out of," He chanted to himself, denying everything that he knew contradicted his true thoughts. "You hated that!"

Somebody then walked in the room to see a balled up Draco in fetal position.

"Draco, I just saw Potter in the hallway," Pansy said. "Surely I thought you would have finished before him- Draco what's wrong," she noticed him certainly strained and frazzled.

"I- he...uh-...eg-..that...Po-..he-" he tried to conjure the event that just happened but it refused to slip from his tongue.

"Spit it out!" She kneeled next to the almost shaking Slytherin.

"H-he k-kissed me me me," He said refusing to look her in the eye. Her eyes grew wide with shock, and

"He kissed you? Draco look at me."

Draco finally looked at her, panic laced within his eyes when she fingered his chin and forced him to. The mercury that stood in his iris was inexcusably lust-filled.

"Draco," she started but he cut her off, fury over coming him.

"Just don't tell me!" He got up and sprinted out the door ignoring the concerned shouts coming from her mouth.

He spent the rest of the day fingering his lips in morbid disgust and curiosity.

It took a few days to calm down after the incident in detention. Draco locked himself away in his room for the rest of break. He hated himself. He hated himself because of Potter. He hated that he hated the boy enough to fall for him.

It was nonstop Potter running through his mind. He attempted to think of bad characteristics for each part of his body, but his subconscious took over telling him what he knew was true.

1) His eyes are a disgusting puke-green; No, his beautiful green eyes are absolutely perfect.

2) His mouth is too tiny, and he is a horrible kisser; No, it fits yours perfectly and you wouldn't of had your first kiss any other way.

3) His hair is too messy; No, you love every lock of his raven hair, and you know you want to put your fingers through it.

4) He is way too scrawny; No, he just kicked your living arse at the Yule ball.

Draco always tried to push these thoughts away, but they kept swimming around his brain like sharks around prey.

And it was driving him mad.

At lessons, Draco remained entirely out of focus and sometimes his eyes drifted to the back of Harry's head. The second his thoughts started to wander to running his fingers through it, he woke up and snapped his eyes back to the board, only for his eyes to drift back in a terrible, vicious cycle.

As for Harry, he refused to even look any direction towards the ferret. His plan went well and now he was on the road of recovery to back to hating Draco, and even with his feelings still slightly present, it was a smooth drive.

"Get to work," Professor Snape said as he finished explaining the complex antidote for uncommon poisons.

The Slytherin strayed away, however was woken by a bag being slammed to the seat next him. Looking up, Draco found that the person whom he wanted to see the least throwing his stuff to the floor with a scowl on his face.

"Wh-what are you doing here," Draco stuttered.

"Getting the ingredients. Snape paired us together again. I know I'm a bit slow, Malfoy, but I know when someone hates me enough to put me through torture," Harry bit as venom stung his words.

While the Gryffindor turned to the supply closet, Draco wiped his unreasonably sweaty hands on his thighs, swallowing with a lump in his throat.

Harry came back with all the ingredients needed, numerous vials and boxes protruding his arms. Draco just stared at the cauldron in front of him, knowing that this was to be a living hell. Harry poured dragons blood into the kettle to get the potion started.

"Pass the rat tails," Harry said smoothly, knowing whatever fight that was going on was in his favor.

Draco seemed scattered and he frantically looked for a slender jar that had simply ran away considering it was nowhere to be seen.

"You didn't grab it," he said, trying to calm himself, however he failed miserably. Why was he so damned nervous?

"Malfoy... It's right next to you," Potter corrected with a tone of such mockery that it seemed to visibly drip down his wonder- horrific mouth.

He just grabbed the jar and passed it Harry, not saying a word. It was like this most of the class, until Harry chose to further Draco's torturing.

"Oh, Draco dear, pardon me for bothering you but I was just wondering why is it that you freak out when your eyes turn color?"

"Shut up," he bit, just wanting the hour to be over with.

"Awww, is wittle Draco afraid to tell Hawwy an answer," Potter taunted, and it bit at him to the point of such annoyance, if he wasn't around witnesses, he would have knocked them out on sight.

"I said: shut up, Potter," Draco threatened.

"What happened to 'Oh Harry, I've had a crush on you since you refused to be my friend-'"

"SHUT UP!" That hit a nerve, and Harry could only smirk, ready to test further but was interrupted by a droning, yet scolding, voice from behind him.

"Mr. Potter. Stop being a pest to other students while they're working. Five points from Gryffindor," Snape said behind him.

Harry swallowed, holding his groan at the want to tease Draco more and more.

"It best you do well tomorrow, Potter the second task might be worst than the first one," the teacher warned before telling the class they were dismissed. Harry completely forgot about the second task the next day. He had been studying so much that his brain was malfunctioning, and of course, revenge on Malfoy was always fun.

The students got up to leave for their next class but Draco, in which Harry knew of this and went towards the door, taking caution as he did so to ensure the Slytherin wouldn't commit hi-jinks.

"Draco," Snape spoke up unexpectedly. "What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on, sir," Draco lied as Harry dipped behind the corner so he was unseen.

"Stop lying to me. Your eyes are different color. That must mean-"

"None of your business."

"As your godfather it is my business. I haven't seen you in the Great Hall for weeks now. You look ill. Who is it?"

"I don't know, okay! I just don't get it," Draco shouted, frustrated, before he sprinted out the door, establishing his godfather wouldn't catch him, turning the blind spot, and Harry wasn't seen.

There was something more to this than either of them thought.

Days later, Draco loaded into one of the many boats that took the students to the platform in the center of the Black Lake. Draco, frustratingly and surprisingly, was nervous that Potter would be going into a lake which held creatures from nightmares and cold-blooded killers. What if Harry died? What if he was swallowed by an octopus or attacked by a grindylow?

Pansy was the only one to know about the kiss shared between him and Harry. Well it wasn't a kiss... One of them smashed their face onto the other without consent.

Draco reminisced of Pany's face when he spilled; one of pure shock, unreadable shock, almost as wide as Draco's when he was left in the classroom with the prickle of Potter's lips on his.

Before he knew it (since he was off daydreaming about Potter's mouth), they arrived; Draco and Pansy climbed out of the boat and onto the diving platform, being followed by Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle. Draco knew he couldn't tell the 3 how he was made a fool out of. His pride was already toiled enough.

The group made their way up the highest level away from all the noisy children. It wasn't long before everyone else found their way onto the platform and the champions loaded in position.

Draco watched Potter, and how pale his skin was. The poor kid was probably horrified, but damn did his hair look good in the wind.

The boom of a cannon broke Draco from another fantasy that he was having about his own fingers meeting Potter's locks, and the time for the champions to dive into the water arrived, but Potter was still on the platform.

Draco saw that he was choking and clung onto the bar tightly, and he stood out of pure worry, only for Pansy to grab his arm and yank him down so she could see.

Potter splashed into the water, looking as though he suffocated his way into it. Although he didn't notice nor mean to, Draco's breathing got so heavy, in fact it was almost violent, but it wasn't until there was a huge splash and a very-much-okay Potter plunged up from the water, did a mid air flip, diving back to the bottom, in which Draco let out air he didn't know he was holding in.

And then they waited; and waited and waited.

While everyone else was having a fantastic time, Draco's stomach acid burned sour when the clock hit 4:50. Only Fleur and Krum surfaced, leaving the Hogwarts champions still under the water. It was 4:58 when Cedric came up with Cho Chang.

When the clock struck 5:00, Draco stared at the black depth, eyes almost watering, his breathing shallow and fast. He swallowed again, his throat making it harder and harder to do so, his adam's apple bobbing enough for his best friend to see.

"Draco, what's wrong," Pansy asked in a whisper so that no one else in the group could hear, but Blaise saw his face and got the message. Draco shook his head and continued to stare down at the inky water below. Then it hit Pansy. "You care about him, don't you?"

She waited for a bomb to explode but instead received a small, microscopic "yes," a crack radiating in his voice. In fact, it wasn't even a whisper, but she heard the pale blonde loud and clear.

Weasley, as well as Fleur's sister surface, but no Potter. Draco stood again and practically wanted to scream and rip out his heart for beating so fast, the bastard.

"Damn it, where is the prat," he said in haste under his breath, not realizing he said it aloud.

"You need to tell him," Blaise said, and Draco looked at him with uncertainty before glancing back at the pool of water.

And the boy surfaced.

Harry got off the boat with Ron and Hermione, laughing and shivering due to the aggressive wind and biting cold.

"It's freezing" Hermione smiled, huddled between her two favorite boys who were also soaking. He was about to comment when Harry then heard something.

"Psst, Potter," the whisper said, "Potter over here." It was a tree.

"Hey guys I have to go," Harry said abruptly, "I'll catch up with you in a bit, I need to check something."

Harry approached the trunk, leaves crunching beneath him, "Tree," he asked, feeling as a moron.

"Behind the tree, you idiot," the voice snapped. Harry walked behind the plant to find a white haired, pale faced ferret.

"You," Harry shouted, a bubble of anger overcoming him. He turned to leave but was stopped when a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Potter," Draco begged in exasperation, "Please."

Harry paused and let his curiosity take him over and he nodded, although he wore a look of distaste. Draco bit his lip and held onto Harry's wrist, leading him deeper into the forest. He let go of his wrist.

"What do you want," Harry said when they were out of everyone's path of descry.

"To apologize," Draco swallowed, "I shouldn't of done that to you."

Harry waited a bit before speaking again. "Is that it or is there a punch line?"

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just that I'm surprised you haven't exploded yet since you actually apologized, or I'm waiting for the joke."

"I'm not joking," Draco said. "Really, I am sorry. You didn't deserve what I gave you, and I didn't realize I would... I would be the one to.. I would... Listen, will you just give me a second chance?"

"Right! So you can laugh at my idiocy again," Harry mocked. "I'm not that gullible Malfoy!"

"No. It would be real. I promise."

"And give me a solid reason as to why I would ever- could ever want to go on a date with a sick git like you."

"BecauseIthinkilikeyou." He said as fast as possible, but Harry didn't miss a beat.

"Genuinely?"

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"I.. I don't know."

"Is it because I kissed you, or is it because you want another," Harry said cheekily, and Draco glared at him.

"Shut up, Potter."

"A bit cruel to a crush, aren't you, Malfoy," Harry teased.

"It's better than being fake," he sneered, feeling ridiculously uncomfortable.

"That's very true," Harry leaned up against a tree trunk. He looked off into the forest, trying to make of the situation.

"You were great today," Draco said coy, his heart beating so loud, he thought Harry could hear it. "Relentlessly stupid... but fantastic."

Harry's eyebrows raised as high as they could go. "Really?"

"Really. You could have gotten hurt," Draco swallowed.

"Because I'm so brave and courageous," Harry smirked.

"Because you're a bloody twit," Draco corrected and Harry gave a small laugh, but ended with a shiver. "I forgot you must be freezing," he scoffed at himself, although he didn't want to say it out loud.

"It's fine," Harry shook, pulling his damp towel tighter to him. Draco, without thinking, unbuttoned his wool waistcoat and Harry watched him do it, only to look at him bizarrely when he held it out.

"Take it," Draco said almost sheepishly. Harry kept staring as if he had grown three heads. Draco scoffed and did they only logical thing he could do with the least embarrassment. He threw it at him, Harry almost dropping it as he caught it last minute.

"Are you not feeling well? Is it poisoned?"

"Oh shut up, Potter," Draco snapped. "I'm not.. I'm not a hufflepuff-"

"No! You had me fooled the whole time," Harry laughed sarcastically, putting the jacket on over him, warmth engulfing him.

"I don't... I don't... l-love or do whatever you sick Gryffindorks do."

"Then why are you here?"

"To get this.. mad feeling to go away."

"Mad feeling?"

"It... feel weird... everywhere. And it's only you.. It's been only you."

Harry snorted into a laugh. "So you do have a crush? A big one, I predict."

"Potter," Draco blushed.

"Ha! A really big one, huh? Plan backfired?"

Draco crossed his arms. "Potter," he bit dangerously.

"Was it the kiss?"

"Ugh! I'm so stupid, why would I even talk to you about this," Draco growled, and he started walking away.

"Wait," Harry called. "I'll do it."

"Huh?"

"I'll give you a second chance," he said.

"You will," Draco almost.. not smirked, but the other thing. His heart sped.

"Don't you dare think that I trust you even a teaspoon, Malfoy. You have one chance, and that's all you get. Mess it up-"

"I won't."

"Alright. Tomorrow at seven."

Harry started to walk way, and Draco watched him go. "Wait," he called.

"I want my coat back by tomorrow, and I swear if there is even one wrinkle, I'll hex you blind."

Harry just tugged on it tighter, continuing on his way, smiling when he wasn't in Draco's view.

And little did Draco know, one chance was all he needed.


	9. Chapter 9: First Real Date

**Chapter 9: First Real Date**

The next day Draco stayed in his room for the most part, simply because he physically thought he was going to explode to the diversity of effects he was having: his stomach was on fire; his throat burned, from what he didn't know; his thoughts never pooled at such a velocity in his life; his heartbeat rapid and had an undetectable enunciation. In his most eager hopes, he planned to have it all be a dream and wake up without even a thought of the boy, however the very second awoke, the first thing he thought of was green eyes and a lightning scar.

And it had been that way ever since.

Draco, on the edge of his bed, feet dangling and hands sweaty, thought and rethought it through... and then rethought it through again. It started with the usual: 'When the hell did he start feeling this way?' It then moved to a 'Merlin, I can't believe my eyes changed color for him. Continuing on with a 'How did I not see this before?' And he answered himself with a 'Because he rejected you.' Progressing onto a feeling of sadness at the memory, he would then think about his father and 'How could I ever keep this from him?' And of course, the fact that he would be skinned alive by his parents lived in the back of his head.

Finally he would go back and question how his heart even could newly function the way it did and the process advanced to a vicious cycle for most of the morning. He didn't know how to follow his heart- hell! he never had a heart to follow. From any recollection, Draco grew up most of his life thinking it was broken, numb, such as a machine with a untwisted screw. It refused to work properly because he was a Malfoy, and love just got in the way of the Malfoy goal: power.

But now, his heart was ready to explode. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. It was the worst pain he'd ever felt.

At about mid-afternoon, he reached an abdominal state of ludicrous. Draco payed more attention as to what was to come, and the entire emotional connection between it all. Would Harry actually ever like me? Could I actually be loved? Why didn't he shake my hand in first year, damn it! Could these feelings go away- were they concrete?

Since now he was going on a very much real date with Harry, it made him even more nervous than before. It was legitimate, so to speak.

Sometimes he would- not smirk, but what's the other thing? yeah, that- completely out of the blue, however moments later, anger filmed over him, and seconds after that, almost happiness despite his doubts.

Draco stirred from deep thought when knock knock knock at his door bounced off the walls. "Come in," he said, voice cracking in an un-Malfoyish manner.

Pansy opened it and stepped inside, only to stare at him wildly. "Are you alright?"

"No, Pansy! I'm not!"

"Look at you! You're a hot mess!"

"Really, I had no idea," he bit, lying back on his bed and staring at the ceiling. "I don't understand how he can be doing this to me."

"Draco, it's just a crush," Pansy said. "Don't tell me you've never had a crush before." She strode to the bed with the audacity to almost mock him. Sitting down, Draco refused to eye her, but continued looking at the bricks above him.

"Pansy, you know me. You know my family."

"Oh would you quit it with the 'Malfoy' name and whatnot. I understand you come from a strict family and all, but don't you ever want to branch off and do your own thing?"

"No. Never have," he swallowed.

"Let me rephrase that," Pansy corrected herself, "Have you ever wanted to be a kid? Ever?"

This caused Draco to look at her. "Being a kid gets you nowhere," he finally said, "and if I'm going to be the man of the house some day, shenanigans is not the way to go about learning how to do it properly."

Pansy took a deep breath, then lay back on the bed with pity. "Your father has brainwashed you."

Draco swallowed, trying not to think about it. "My father is a Death Eater, Pansy, in case you haven't noticed, and I'd imagine that if I'm supposed to be the man of the house one day, I might have to be one, too."

"You never used to think like that, you know. When we were ten, you actually laughed once or twice."

"Laughter is pointless."

"I hope Potter can change that about you."

Draco rubbed his face with his hands and swallowed. "I don't think I should go."

"Oh come on, don't be a fairy!"

"If me and Potter are on two completely different paths, completely different sides, what makes you think it could ever work without someone getting hurt? And Merlin, my father... if he found out-"

"Who cares, Draco? Who cares what he says? He isn't even here. Why can't you just think for yourself for once?"

Draco thought. "I don't know, Pans," he said in doubt.

"Stop making things complicated. Your father won't find out. It's a harmless relationship at most. You can end it if you feel uncomfortable."

"I feel uncomfortable now."

"Get over it," she snapped. "Potter was humane enough to let you even talk to him after this all happened, let alone is willing to go on another date with you."

"Why are you so supportive of this, Pansy?"

"Because... I just have a good feeling about him for you. I do. Why do you think I suggested it not be me? You two are... You two are so contrasting, but at the same time, so compatible, and that's really strange, but I still remember the look on your face when he didn't shake your hand in first year. Shall I bring up the, 'I can't wait to meet Harry Potter. He seems incredible! Defeated the Dark Lord when he was one years old! I want to be his friend!'"

"Don't you dare talk about it!"

"Or the fact that you had an entire collection of news articles about him in your sock drawer!"

"Pansy! I told you not to speak of that!"

"My point is, you've had a feeling about him for as long as you can remember, and as long as I can remember listening to it," she tried not to complain and sound supportive. "Maybe this is a step in the right direction."

Draco bit his lip. "But how can you be sure, Pansy? What if this is just going to blow up in my face?"

"Then let it."

"What if I really don't like him, like I think I do and some disease is going to clear up in a few weeks, and it'll just be awkward."

She didn't answer his question, but brought up a topic he wasn't expecting. "What did it feel like when he kissed you?"

"Are we really going completely schoolgirl, Pansy. Never go completely schoolgirl."

"I'm being serious."

He sighed, defeated. "It felt... strange. I can't describe it. It wasn't even a real kiss though."

"But you wish it was?"

"I don't know... maybe?"

"Did it feel good?"

"I... I'm not sure..."

Pansy didn't know how to get it across to him what a good and bad kiss felt like, so she did the only logical and kinematic thing to do: she rolled over and kissed him. Immediately he pushed away at the sudden surprise. "Pansy! What are you doing!"

"Did it feel good," she asked.

"I mean... it felt... weird?"

"Weird like girly weird or weird like Potter weird?"

"I... I don't know..."

Pansy lent in, slower this time, and kissed him softly. It was like kissing a sibling for both of them: disgusting and creepy. He tried to shut his eyes, tried to picture a girl, not Potter and it was just so... wrong. It was wrong, in fact it was very much indeed wrong.

Draco pushed her away again and wiped his mouth, her mirroring him.

"It was too weak," he concluded. Potter's lips were firm, demanding, forceful. And although he thought he hated his own submissive behavior during Potter's 'game,' he felt as though he liked being forced up against the wall like that, to be needed. "Potter had something... something that.. it was magnetic," he described, "and it was electric. Is that stereotypical?"

"You feel what you feel," she said simply. "By the way, that was the worst kiss I've ever had in my life."

"Strangely, although I've only had one other and it was forced, I have to agree with that."'

"Just don't tell Blaise, okay," Pansy demanded.

"Oh please! Like I would want him to know that we kissed," Draco scoffed.

"So you're going with Potter," she asked, sitting up, and he did as well.

"I have to get my coat back," he answered.

"You gave him your coat?"

"...He was cold..."

"You're in for it deep," Pansy said, and Draco rolled over to scream into his bedspread.

"Damn you, Potter!" He had a strong feeling that Potter was going to drive him to insanity and back.

"Now that you've got that off your chest," Pansy raised an eyebrow, "Are you going to get ready or are you going to go out on a real date looking like you've been trampled by a stampede?"

Draco scoffed, mentally preparing to the night ahead of him, wondering if this was truly going to change his life for not.

He wore steel toed shoes in case Potter got angry with him.

Harry waited for Draco down by the lake, same place as assigned, carrying his Firebolt.

To be honest, his expectations of Draco not even showing up were disappointed since a figure walked his way. He too had a broom in his hand, and Harry's heart skipped a beat when he saw the pair.

It wasn't long until the boy reached the other and greeted him with a bare of the teeth.

"Is that a smile or is it like a clench," Harry asked trying to hold back laughter at the failed attempt of a smile. Draco's face dropped, for doubt overfilled him and he bit his lip. How could he of been so stupid? "Take insults well, Malfoy?"

"No it-" Draco was glad Harry cut him off because he really didn't know how to tell him.

"Okay, sorry. We're on a date, I need to remind myself," Harry calmed himself, but then raised an eyebrow. "A real date right?"

"Yes, a real date I promise," he tried not to snap or look insecure. He bit his lip again, "You look, erm... you look great tonight, Potter."

Harry responded by taking Draco's coat, which was hidden from behind his back, and threw it at his face with extraneous force. "Thank you Malfoy, you look well yourself."

Draco cleared the material to reveal his hair a complete mess. He gave him a deathly glare. "Don't mess with my hair, Potter."

"Does it bother you?"

"Yes," he hissed.

Harry stood parallel to him, "Would you like me to fix it for you?"

"Not with that rat's nest on your head!" Harry reached up, but Draco dodged his hand and caught it. "Don't you dare!"

Harry chuckled, then used his other hand to skim it through his hair. Draco tried to catch that arm as well, and he did successfully, that is, until Harry started wrestling him to the ground.

"Damn you Potter," Draco shouted, struggling to overpower the boy. Harry was on top of him and he pinned his shoulders to the ground.

"You are such a pest!"

"If anyone's a pest, it's you, Malfoy," Harry responded, still feeling resented anger from the Yule Ball. The Gryffindor gazed into Draco's eyes as he looked back up at him. Harry could practically smell Draco's nerves since they were so on fire.

"What makes you think this could ever work," Draco said after a while of morbid staring.

"We make it," Harry replied simply.

"But wouldn't this be complicated?"

"No. If you like me as much as you say you do, and I like you, then maybe if we keep things simple, we could make it work. Unless you don't want to try this," Harry got off and sat next to him. Draco sat up.

"No, I do," Draco bit his lip again. "Wait... so you do like me?"

"I'm here aren't I? Stop making it complicated," Harry grabbed leaves and threw them at him. He laughed, and that caused Draco to do that thing again, you know, the not smirk, but the other thing, and Harry noticed. "Okay, but I would just like to inform you that, when you smile you look like an assassin. Why is that?"

"Umm I don't... I don't really know," Draco stuttered, "I mean I've never actually smiled before, besides smirking. I mean, I imagine when I was a kid I may have laughed a little, but, not much anymore. I'm not good, am I?" He never liked saying it although it was true. He could only imagine how he looked when he attempted to grin.

"You've never smiled before," Harry questioned waiting for the punch line that never came.

"No, and in fact, I guess I've never apologized before either," Draco looked away from Harry at all costs during that statement.

"I'm your first apology" Harry, although surprised, smiled, "I'm honored."

"Well my father always taught me that Malfoys' don't smile, and they certainly don't apologize."

"Why not? Smiling isn't bad."

"That's my own concern Potter, not yours."

"Harry."

"Potter."

"Harry," Harry emphasized.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Potter."

"Come on, my name isn't that difficult."

"But Potter sounds better."

"You've said it before."

"Yes, well, I was faking it wasn't I?"

"Say it with me," Harry ordered, "Har-ry. Now together. Har-ry."

"Har-ry," Draco rolled his eyes.

"Good. Now smile." The blonde stared at him. "Smile! Come on Malfoy, at least try."

Draco bared his teeth in a plastic grin.

"Definite assassin," Harry clenched. "Hold on, Don't move." Harry got closer to him and reached for his mouth, readjusting it to which he looked natural by pulling on his cheeks and pushing his lips apart. "There. I won't be going about dating somebody who doesn't smile."

When Harry let go, Draco's smile still remained, and although it felt as weird as his heart did, he almost liked it.

By this time Draco's nerves emerged from his body and he could just talk to Harry but at some points he felt as though he let his guard down. It's a shame the Gryffindor was greatly charismatic and didn't use it to his advantage. He could manipulate the minister if he wanted.

"So Draco," Harry emphasized his name, "were you faking the whole time, or do we have to start all over again?"

"No, I answered truthfully," Draco cringed. "I wouldn't want to mix anything up, would I?"

"So this shouldn't be too hard, then?" Harry took a deep breath and started. "What's the worst lie you've ever told a professor?"

"What does that have anything to do with anything," Draco looked at him as if he was crazy, receiving a glare. "What?"

"You're a horrible romantic! Maybe I'm just curious, its not like I'm going to tell them."

Rolling his eyes, Draco then bit his lip, thinking. "Last year I told Trelawney that I had a philosophical dream that her death date was Friday the 13th, but I didn't know which year, so every Friday the 13th, she'll flip!"

Harry laughed, "You're joking!"

"No, I'm not! Just watch. I think there's one coming up in a few weeks."

"I'm going to!"

"What about you? What lie have you told a teacher?"

"Lies," he corrected, "it's plural. Obviously to Snape."

"Well obviously. I'm there for those."

"Yeah, and whenever I get caught, you just so happen to laugh at me, and then I get a detention for fighting back," Harry argued with humor in his eyes. He threw more leaves at Draco and he actually laughed for once, instead of worrying about his clothes. He could always use a cleaning charm, right?

"Hey, I never told you to lie, did I?"

"You got me in trouble first year, too! I wanted to duel and you chickened out!"

"I only did that because I was angry with you," Draco justified.

"For what," Harry exclaimed.

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself. Don't let him get too close. "Because you're you," he said in a snobby tone.

"Why yes, that's a very concrete answer." Harry rolled his eyes, and Draco laughed again.

It was like a miracle.

"Quite."

"Not really," Harry snorted.

"Well, Harry, I'm not a very concrete person," Draco said matter o' factly.

"Are you, now?" The Gryffindor raised and eyebrow.

"That's something you'll just have to find out, won't you," Draco smirked lightly and fell backwards in the grass, his heart beating out of his chest. His smirk changed from a smile, yet again, and it was like no constellation in the universe could stop it. Looking up at the changing sky, he felt Harry lay beside him.

"I want to," Harry said hesitantly before swallowing. There was a silence, and neither could tell if it was awkward or not. It was as if they were trying to pretend what the other was thinking. Draco wanted to change the subject before it grew uncomfortable.

"The sky is pretty tonight," he said, although he mentally smacked himself at the small talk.

"Have you ever thought it being a painting?"

"Hm?" Draco turned and looked at him.

"I had an old babysitter. Her name was Margaret, and she was very old, very experienced as she put it," Harry babbled, and Draco let him. "Most the time she would talk about her dog or her husband. She was a widow; her 'soul-mate' died at war, and she was devastated because of it."

"I couldn't imagine losing someone that way," Draco said, his voice soft.

"Oh yeah," he agreed, "Must be awful. She wasn't much, but she wasn't horrible, I've had worse babysitters, but anyway, sometimes she was very poetic, and it would be out of nowhere. I kept wondering where she got it from, until one day, one of the last days I should say, she put this moldy, dusty box in front of me, and inside were letters from her husband."

"What do letters have anything to do with the sky?"

"I'm getting there! So when I opened them the ink was barely visible and the papers were worn, but it was still legible. It turned out that he wanted to be an artist, and every night leading up to his service, they would lay on the ground, just as we are, hands connected," Harry put his hand over Draco's, locking his palm over the top of the blonde's hand, interlocking their fingers. Draco let him. "And they would watch the sunset from well in the afternoon, all the way up to one or two in the morning. They would only talk."

"How did they not run out of things to say?"

"I wondered that too," Harry finally turned to him, causing their eyes to meet. "She told me it was easy, said it was almost impossible to not talk to him."

Draco stared at their hands and chills went down his spine. He swallowed, letting Harry continue his story in a curious silence, turning back to look at the blackening atmosphere.

"She told me that the night before he went off to guard, they talked about the sky and the stars, and how if they ever missed each other, to look up, because metaphorically, they would be looking at each other. He broke a rib two years in falling off of something- I don't really remember. Anyway, it was piercing his heart, and the last thing he did was write to her. He said that if he was to die, which they both knew he was, then to look up at the sky, because he would paint it every day and every night for her, just so she knew he was alright."

Harry paused, listening to Draco's deep, steady breathing next to him.

"She was 28 when he died; she was 74. And in between that time, she hadn't found anybody to replace him. Told me that that kind of love was irreplaceable, and not a day went by that she didn't miss him. Her first and last kiss was with him. But she said she never cried when he left her."

"Why?"

"Because she would be with him one day. It was written in the constellations, you see, that every lifetime, they would find each other again. She said meeting him was like remembering him. That's how she knew."

"Wow."

"I know. It always bothered me."

"What?"

"How could anyone ever love someone that deeply, you know. She said when he was away, even when he was at the market, or asleep, it hurt her. Said it was like being stabbed. I believe in love and all, but I have my doubts about that one. It sounds like something out of a storybook, you know. How could anyone be that compatible?"

Draco swallowed. He had no idea. "Legend says that when man was created, he originally had four legs and four arms- double of everything, and when they were put on the earth, the force split them in half and they had to spend the rest of their lives finding each other so they were whole again."

"That was pretty deep for a Malfoy," Harry snorted.

"For your information," Draco scoffed, disconnecting their hands and pushing at his shoulder lightly before putting them together again, properly this time, "I read greek mythology, prat. I didn't come up with it."

"I wouldn't believe you if you said you did." Harry let out a chuckle when dirt was launched at him. He tried not to think about it, but the vacancy of Draco's hand beneath his palm bit at him, and he wanted the contact back, however, his indifference due to insecurities kept him tamed, and he resisted to grab it again.

"What kind of literature do you read," Draco asked. A dry laugh escaped Harry's throat and Draco turned to him, propping himself up on his elbows. "What?"

"Literature? Really? Come on, I don't read!"

"No wonder you're failing half your classes and your inerudite recuperation skills are that of an ignoramus."

"Hey! Are you insulting me," Harry tried to stay serious, however his tone was light and whimsical.

"You may never know," Draco smirked.

"I feel like you are!"

"Maybe, maybe not!"

"I'm surely positive!"

"Really are you now?"

"Yeah- wait! I'm not failing half my classes! Just Snape's! And that doesn't count because he hates me."

"Maybe it's because you lie to him constantly."

"It's not like you're a saint either! Next Friday the 13th, Trelawney is probably going to have a heart attack!"

"I hope you don't mean literally! That would be contradicting to the point in which we were trying to make about her not dying!"

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Harry said smoothly, "She predicts my death every year."

"Didn't you have the grim last year?"

"Yup. Just good luck swimming in my bloodstream," he shrugged his shoulders. "I have a life expectancy of negative fourteen considering I was to supposed have died about five times already." Draco laughed and laughed hard, throwing his head back so Harry could see the lines of his throat. He was mesmerized by them. Harry decided he liked Draco's laugh... a lot. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just the way you said it! Are you seriously not afraid whenever you get into some summons to contest?"

"Oh trust me, I'm petrified," Harry laughed dryly at his own, pathetic life. Draco continued laughing an unhealthy amount and Harry found himself chuckling at him. "The hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't know," he chortled, barely breathing in the process.

"This is why you need to laugh more often," Harry heaved, "One day you're just going to explode in a fit of laughter, and we'll have to write that on your tombstone."

Oh what a way for a Malfoy to go out.

It was a bit more until Draco stopped in a coughing fit, and they were both sitting up, Harry smacking his back. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," he hiccupped. "I'm okay."

"You need to get out more. There are more things to laugh at than my life," Harry smiled involuntarily, but then grew quite. "You have a great laugh. It sounds... it just sounds really good... beautiful even..."

Draco blushed a ruby, not even knowing he was.

"Are you blushing," Harry asked, it being dark and him being visually impared.

"No," Draco shouted defensively.

"You are!"

"Malfoy's don't blush."

"Well, you are right now and your last name is Malfoy," Harry said, "But that's okay. I like the fact that I did that to you."

Draco's heart hammered in his chest at the end comment which was already hard to hear since Harry was hesitant to say it.

"Would you like to go flying," the Gryffindor asked.

"Sure. Yeah, that'd be great," he bit his lip. Harry shot up, surprising him with his abruptness. "A bit enthusiastic are we?"

"Just a little," Harry grinned, and Draco wanted him to stay like that until he died, smiling. It was a breathtaking smile. "I have to say, flying's probably the best feeling in the world."

"Why do you love it so much?" Harry put out his hand for Draco to take, and he did, standing and grabbing his broom in the process.

"I think it's because it validates magic for me. Sometimes I'll think I'm dreaming, you know, and when I fly, I know everything's real."

"Fair enough answer," Draco nodded.

"What about you?"

"I guess... I guess it's a way to isolation," the blonde said. "It was always something I could go off and do without pressure- well sometimes- a moment to be free, if you will."

"I don't get it. Aren't you already free? You're at hogwarts, you're rich, you can get practically anything in the world."

"Not everything." Draco swallowed and eyed him with innocence. "I wish it was that easy, Harry."

Harry decided to drop the subject, which Draco was happy about. He didn't want to have to explain first year all over to him. "Ready?"

"Born."

They mounted their brooms, and Harry kicked off the second he could, and with that, he was lost to Draco. It was a few seconds before he heard shouting and whooing coming from behind the trees, loud and obnoxious, magnetic and alive.

Draco's cheeks burned at it, Harry's excitement, his happiness. He had that warm, fuzzy feeling spreading like wildfire across his whole body.

Harry had been MIA for a moment or two causing Draco to look around him, only to turn, finding Harry- well, finding Harry's face completely upside down in such a close proximity to his. He was hanging from his broom like a bat.

"What-" Draco started but was cut off.

"I told you you could smile. And you can do it damn well, too." Harry laughed and then climbed back onto his broom. Draco still hadn't moved. "Come on then, slowpoke!"

Draco rolled his eyes, shaking his head up at Harry who took off again. After kicking off, he was into the night. Darkness surrounded him, and yet again, he lost Harry. Looking around, he was startled when a zoom went past him with such a proximity and force, he was almost knocked off his broomstick.

"I've got to say, Draco, you're pretty sluggish tonight... or maybe it's just that- how did you put it- your inerudite recuperation skills are that of an ignoramus."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Wow, I'm surprised you even knew how to pronounce half of those words."

"And I'm not surprised that you're still a prat," Harry laughed, taking off again, this time with Draco following him. They flew together indefinitely, until the weather bit at them and they both inhabited wind burn on their cheeks. Landing at the stone circle, they smiled continuously, the only form of light within outdoors illuminating their faces.

"Thank you, Malfoy. I had a great time."

"Draco."

"Promise?"

"I promise this isn't another trick. I-I had a really great time," he bit his lip.

"Maybe we could do this again soon," Harry suggested, rocking on his tip toes and shoving his hands in this pockets.

"I most definitely agree," Draco grinned and his heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing him again. "However," something bothered him, "I suggest we keep our this a secret, same as last time. I really don't think that my father would appreciate opening the Prophet one morning and finding out his son like-likes Harry Potter."

Harry blushed slightly. "You don't need to worry about that. I really don't want this getting out either. Rita Skeeter would have a field day and I wouldn't want to put you in that jeopardy...Er-... what are we by the way?"

Draco's palms got sweaty. "I really don't know Potter, I really don't know."

"Harry," he reassured. Draco smiled what escaped the Gryffindor's lips. "Good night, Draco."

Draco didn't want to leave, neither did Harry. They were both frozen in their spots as if ice trapped their locomotor.

And then Draco was moving numbly, and going with his gut, he kissed Harry's cheek, causing them both to blush.

"Goodnight, Harry," he whispered in his ear, and the boy got goosebumps.

He watched the blonde walk away, a subtle smile on his face as he grasped where Draco just kissed.

The lion found himself falling for the snake once more, however this time, the snake was falling for the lion as well.


	10. Chapter 10: Hiding

Chapter Ten: Hiding

Harry had a grin on his face before opening his eyes, that's how happy he was, however he didn't have a concrete answer for it, not needing one. He only thought about the next meeting with Draco, and seeing his smile again.

He went to the bathroom for his well deserved shower, mentally preparing himself in the fact that his heart was to race the rest of the day no matter what he thought about. That and there were classes to attend to, double potions being the first one, yet, in fact, this time he was actually excited to attend, being able to see Draco for two hours straight, even if they couldn't talk.

Harry made his way down to breakfast sat in between his best friends, facing the Slytherin table. Upon looking up, Harry discovered that Draco hadn't even made his way down yet- well, up considering they were in the dungeons.

Draco. Not Malfoy.

He wondered if Draco was to wear his hair without gel as it was at the end of their date: windblown with night lust. Harry came to the conclusion it looked better like that, and when he put a loose hair behind his ears when it fell to his face, Harry got that warm, fuzzy feeling as well as the yearn to untuck it and tuck it again. He imagined each strand feeling softer and softer from the last-

"Harry?" Hermione's voice called him from his Draco-induced trance. He was startled, looking away from the vacant seat across the hall and onto his plate of eggs and toast. "Are you alright? You seem out of it this morning."

"Oh er- yeah... I- erm, I'm fine," Harry tried to maintain a neutral composure, but then he said the word 'fine' and his cheeks, betraying him against his own will, involuntarily pulled upward.

"Why are you so smiley, mate? It's kind of unnatur-" Ron couldn't finish his sentence due to Hermione gasping whilst her eyes lit up like a lightning strike.

"Oh my god! You went on another date again didn't you," she tried to keep from shouting... well she really didn't try to keep from shouting, Harry just wanted her to. His muscles refusing resistance, Harry grinned even larger; so big, he had to bury his head in his arms to keep from blushing. It was if his cheeks were screaming more than Hermione did.

"Please just announce it to the whole school, Hermione," Harry snapped, raising his head again, facing her.

"Sorry," she lowered her voice. "Come on, Harry, tell us about it."

"We talked," Harry looked down at his eggs, smiling like a nutter.

"You talked? And?" Hermione lit up like a Christmas tree.

"And," Harry bit his lip, "it went fine," he held back.

"What are you not telling us," Ron asked, nudging his shoulder playfully.

It's Draco Malfoy. Nah... not only would his friends freak out, but he would be breaking Draco's promise. "We just... we connected really well, but it's strange. H-she's... she's not what I expected."

"Maybe that's a good thing, mate," Ron patted his back. "What type of a girl is she? Tom-boy? Tom-girl? Does she play for her house."

"She's..." Harry thought about it and smirked to himself. "No, she doesn't play," Harry decided that would narrow it down too much. Draco walked in, hair gelled- unfortunately- and they locked eyes momentarily. Harry smirked to himself. "And tom-girl definitely. Really, very girly. She probably spent twenty minutes on her hair alone this morning."

"Really? I thought you would go for someone more... rougher, your love of quidditch, vanquishing of Dark Lord's and whatnot!"

"I mean, I took her flying-"

"You took her flying," Hermione wailed, causing Harry to jump. "Harry you can't do that if she's a tom-girl! It's not like she's Ginny. If you took me flying I'd probably cry, you and your crazy moves!"

"I didn't do any of those!" Yes I did...

Harry didn't want to press, and made a mental note to write down what he would lie about. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "Honest!"

"Harry, mate, we can see right through you," Ron laughed, "Did she have fun at least?"

"Yeah, a lot of fun, so ha, Hermione!"

"Just make sure you're taking care of her," Hermione told him, "And if you need girl advice, let me know."

"I will," Harry smiled, but not at their kindness and (somewhat) respect of privacy (hey, at least they weren't begging for a name or house); he smiled at the fact that he wouldn't be needing any girl advice whatsoever.

Just then he looked up to the Slytherin table and locked eyes, and they both sneered at the same time, however Harry's faltered and he looked away before he could laugh, and before his friends noticed who he was looking at.

"He's in for it, Hermione," Ron said, shaking his head.

"Pansy," Draco shouted from within his bedroom. He only used the didactic tool of waking the entire dorm in emergencies. He said it was the fastest way to get her to him: embarrass her in front of the Slytherin population.

It wasn't but a few moments until a grumpy ratted mess walked into the room prepared to be either shocked or mutually disappointed. She found Draco with his blankets splayed on the floor along with all of his pillows except for one which he hugged in a fetal position.

"What's wrong with you!" All he did was point at his heart and start to stutter in a nervous fashion. "Ugh more relationship issues? Come one Draco, it's not like you are learning how to catch a bogart. It's just a crush!"

"Pansy! M-my heart it, it hurts! It's the worse pain I've ever been through! And it won't go away!"

"How did it go last night?"

"What? I'm in pain Pansy! How am I supposed to focus on my date with Harry if I'm undergoing a heart attack!?" His voice broke every few words. He was freaking our over a certain warm and fuzzy feeling feeling in his chest.

Pansy began to smile and commented on his rampage. "So it went well."

"Yes it went great thank you. Why are you...?"

"You called him Harry. Potter obviously means something to you besides an enemy now. Have you properly kissed yet?"

"What," he said breathlessly, "Pansy I think I'm dying right now!"

"It's Potter!"

"What? What about Harry," Draco's voice cracked yet again. Pansy rolled her eyes and pointed at his chest. "No, Harry wouldn't... he likes me! I didn't see his wand on him, he couldn't of hexed me, I would have felt it!" Then he scoffed. "No wonder... he probably just fooled me just like I fooled him to get even. Hell, he probably poisoned his cheek so when I kissed it I would have a stomach ache, and he's terrible at potions so it's a late reaction-"

"You kissed him on the cheek," Pansy lit up. "You're joking!"

"No! And then he smiled at me with his damned dorky smile and he blushed-"

"He didn't poison you," Pansy leaned on one hip, speaking coolly, almost as if she was bored.

"He- what?"

"You do have emotions, you know, even if you don't use them," she picked at her nails, "You're doing this to yourself."

He ran his fingers through his hair aggressively before calming a bit and swallowing. "This is what father wanted to save me from, huh?"

"Yup. Sucks, doesn't it."

"And it's not going to go away?"

"Nope," she popped the 'P'. "He's burned into you now, unfortunately."

"Oh Merlin!" He rolled over and buried his face in the pillow that he was just hugging desperately.

"Your heart races when you seem him? Stomach has butterflies?"

"No, Pansy! I'm becoming weak!"

"Calm down, will you? You're finally becoming a human being, congratulations. Don't be scared, embrace it! You finally care about someone."

Draco's worried, sweaty face vanished within a matter of seconds and a giant smile on his face replaced it. "I care about someone. I like someone. Pansy, I'm falling for someone!" He was silent for a bit, and when he spoke, he did in that of a tone of quiet. "I want to kiss him."

His heart raced at that statement. He couldn't believe he said it out loud.

"So kiss him," Pansy sat on the bed next to him.

"Can I?"

"You don't need to ask permission. He's your... he's whatever you call him. Are you official yet?"

"We don't know," Draco bit his lip. "I want to be, though."

"You do?"

"I think so," Draco couldn't keep from smiling, "I really think I do."

"I'm happy for you," she grinned, however her face dropped when: "Stop smiling."

"Why?"

"I mean if you want a news article in the Prophet about this strange behavior and your father call you up in demented curiosity as to 'What Malfoys shall and shan't do,' I suggest a usual sneer to greet Potter hello. Make everyone believe you're not falling over a stupid Gryffindork."

"Oh Merlin, a Gryffindork! I'm falling for a damned Gryffindork!"

The blonde walked down to breakfast with a stomach of butterflies, which he called nuisances, and a heart skipping beats like there was no tomorrow; Draco was convinced if it kept doing that, his lack of oxygen would cause him no tomorrow. He walked through the Great Hall, avoiding eye-contact with Harry, knowing he would break out in a smile if their eyes met. He felt Harry's stare all the way across the room, which caused chills to vibrate down his spine.

Their sneers matched and his heart, annoyingly, skipped a beat yet again, and Draco felt like scolding it.

Palms sweaty, the whole love thing was foreign to the Slytherin, and he was terrified to mess it up. What if Harry thought he was really sneering at him?

"Draco, I can hear your over thinking," Pansy whispered next to him, "You're fine."

It wasn't long before Draco had to go to Potions and maybe he could just talk to Harry about everything. He knew they wanted it a secret, but how far should he go? What would hurt Harry?

He hoped Snape hated the latter enough today so they would be paired together, but when he arrived, notes were drawn on a blackboard, just waiting eagerly to be copied.

Harry had already sat down and faced the board so he couldn't look at Draco at all.

"Sit down everyone," Snape curled. "Start copying. Come tomorrow these will be erased from the board completely, and if you don't get the information, I will feel no sympathy. You have the whole period."

The students groaned at the workforce ahead of them.

It was about halfway through the class when Draco was too distracted for anything. He kept thinking about whether or not he did anything wrong. Last night, he kissed him on the cheek, and Harry smiled right?

Although Pansy saw his doubts, she also saw through them. It had nothing to do with his 'inability to love' moreover it being Harry Potter himself. She remembered Draco starting Hogwarts, how their first night, he refused to converse with anyone because Potter, above all, had rejected him. He probably hadn't any idea if Potter would be genuine or not.

Harry, however, was thinking the same thing. He really liked Draco, like really liked him. Draco was an elite: how could he ever want someone as scruffy and mismanaged as Harry.

Maybe it was just the fact that last night was so surreal to both of them, yet so real, that it was like a dream.

The rest of the class went by slow, and Draco found it harder to concentrate. Harry completely zoned out. When the bell rang, Draco was in a panic.

This was the first time he didn't complete his assignment... ever.

The both packed their things, each stealing glances from another, each giving permission to. Harry was last to leave, already running late to class when an arm pulled him into a corridor. Harry abruptly resisted and started talking, however Draco put a hand over his mouth to keep him mumbles muffled.

"Did I scare you," Draco asked, amusement in his eyes to hide his doubt.

"Yes," Harry said at Draco's release.

"Good," he smirked. Harry shoved at his shoulder.

"What do you want," Harry laughed.

"Erm... I don't really know... to talk?"

"Who's an ignoramus now," Harry teased.

"Listen," Draco said, "I'm not really... good at this..."

"This?"

"Relationships, I guess," Draco bit his lip and crossed his arms. "Feelings... you..."

"You're not very good at me," Harry quizzed.

"If you hadn't noticed, I've sort of hated you for years. Sometimes still."

"What, you're saying that you don't like me?"

"No."

"Fear of commitment?"

"Possibly? I hate emotions in general."

"How have you been living," Harry asked. "I always thought you were just a complete arsehole."

"No, I am. It's just... my arsehole side of me doesn't like this new side of me, but this new side of me likes this more that my arsehole side and-... I'm confused."

"At least you admit to having an arsehole side," Harry bit his cheek.

"What are we," Draco asked, still curious as to last night.

"What do you want to be?" Draco's heart sped.

"Well, what do you want to be," he argued back.

"I think sometimes I want to whack you upside the head-"

"I want to kiss you," Draco blurted out.

Harry stopped all speech, deciphering if he heard that right. "What?"

Draco didn't know what to say, nor how to react, so he did the only plausible thing he could think of: he grabbed Harry by his tie, completely messing it up, and smashed their lips together in a somewhat forced, however very much real kiss. And he knew it was real when Harry put a hand to Draco's neck.

That and the fact his mouth felt like it had been completely set on fire. His limbs warmed and brain went fuzzy.

They were only in that state for a matter of seconds when they heard people from the opposing hallway and they broke apart completely. It was Harry's followers, of course. Peasants.

Draco acted quickly and grabbed Harry by the wrist, leading him to an unlocked door inhabiting cleaning supplies.

"Why do the Weasel and Mudblood always follow you?"

Harry snapped his hand back from Draco. "Don't call them that! They're my best friends, and if you can't respect that, then you may as well leave now. I have two rules: keep it a secret and respect my friends. I couldn't care less what you called me out in classes and in the hallway, but call Hermione a mudblood once, it's all over, and same goes for Ron about a blood traitor," Harry scolded.

"Right," Draco tried to process it. That would be a hard one. He personally liked those nicknames.

"Now, what is it you want us to be?"

"I want... I want," Draco hesitated. He didn't know if he could say it outloud. "I want.. Harry. I want Harry."

"Then you'll get Harry," the Gryffindor said, lowering his voice a bit. "Stop making it complicated."

"I want to be your boy-.. boyfrrr... that thing."

"Boyfriend? You actually want a committed relationship?"

"Why is that so surprising," Draco snapped.

"It's not," Harry said, "Wait, yes it is. God, two weeks ago we were punching each other and now we're kissing each other. Don't you think we're moving a little fast?"

"Yes, but sometimes I think it's not fast enough," Draco said quietly. He hated feelings. He hated talking about his feelings. He hated feeling his feelings. "Is it going to feel weird the entire time?"

"Feel weird?"

"Yeah, like here," Draco pointed to his heart and stomach and throat and brain and ended up giving up there.

"I think that would be a good thing," Harry smiled warmly. Draco scoffed. "Oh poor you, actually having emotions," Harry laughed at him.

"How awful."

"At least you're easy to talk to," Draco babbled.

"At least you smell nice. How much cologne do you wear anyway?"

"Shut it, Potter," Draco smiled and ruffled Harry's hair.

"So," Harry bit his lip. He stuck out his hand, a gesture which reminded Draco of first year oh so clearly, and he tried not to frown at the thought of it. "Boyfriends?"

"Boyfr-... That thing," the blonde responded, grasping his hand firmly and shaking it. So that's what it's supposed to feel like. "I never imagined I would have a b- boyfriend." Draco knew if his father heard him say that without 'I am Pansy's new' in front of it- crucio wouldn't cut it.

"Me either," Harry said. "Meet me by the lake, at four, okay?"

"Okay," Draco nodded and smiled, "B-boyfriend."

They departed with smiles on their faces.

Draco waited by the lake for an extra 15 minutes before Harry showed up in their original spot.

"Fashionably late," Draco, looking him up and down, raised an eyebrow as Harry stepped to him. They were still in their uniforms, classes just finishing.

"Shush it," Harry snapped lightly, "McGonagall held us late. Besides, you're just as bad as me so don't go there."

"Er- no, my hair doesn't look like a Cornish Pixie nest," Draco spoke with sarcasm. Harry stuck out his tongue.

"At least my hair isn't plastic," he crossed his arms with a smirk.

"Alright," Draco sneered back, "Fair enough."

"Ha! When are you ever fair?"

"I'm sometimes fair," Draco pouted.

"You know you're cute when you pout," Harry softened.

"Cute? What am I some four-year-old child in a pile of puppies?"

"Fine. You're horribly ugly and a pain to look at," Harry almost laughed.

"The same for you, Scarface," Draco bit with a sneer.

"Alright, enough with the insults-"

"But it's the best thing about being with you: endless snide remarks."

Harry shoved him and Draco shoved him back. "Come on, prat, I want to show you something."

Harry grabbed his hand and walked them along the border of trees outside the Forbidden Forest until Harry ceased movement abruptly.

They stopped in front of a large oak tree, in fact, it was the largest one along the treeline. That tree was the beginning of 13 trees in a straight row, just as monstrous and congruent as the starting point. It was strange since all the other trees were all grown in random spots in the soil; different types of skyscrapers.

"Follow me," Harry smiled, looking back at him before starting at his trek, Draco watching only Harry in front of him. The Gryffindor ran in between the superstructures in a zig-zagged pattern, going on opposite sides of the trunks, weaving as the path came and avoiding roots.

Draco tripped on one slightly, simply because he was staring at the back of Harry's head... and his robes in the wind... and the way his shoulders- focus Draco!-, but don't tell Harry that. He didn't notice.

(He totally noticed.)

"Harry, where are you taking me," Draco asked, his palms getting sweaty as they got denser. Harry didn't answer. He just kept his locomotor consistent and constant. It wasn't until long til they reached the edge of the 13th and final tree.

A small area surrounded by trees larger than life created a constant shadow as well as barrier to them, however, to the left of them was a large hallway shaped from the land, plants such as vines and branches and thorns surrounding it. The rest was wooded areas, homes of monsters Draco nor Harry would wish to meet. There was almost complete darkness, the only source of light coming from the end of the stretch of the wall of thorns.

"Harry I don't understand. Why didn't you just go on one side of the trees. It was just a straight line! We look like idiots. Walking in between them like a snake wouldn't make a difference," Draco complained as they started down the hallway leading to a green wall, still holding hands.

Harry turned to him with wondrous eyes, "Magic."

He smiled greatly, and that left Draco with an involuntary grin.

They reached the end of the hallway to see a wall made of vines hanging from the very top of a tree that resembled Big Ben. The ropes were heavy and thick, not letting anyone see through the next side.

"Draco. You know how we almost got caught earlier," Harry recalled. Draco nodded and Harry continued, "Well I have a place where we'll never get caught."

Harry opened a small fraction of the great vines and, looking through the hole, a beautiful scene mesmerized Draco.

The silkiest of grassed covered a small field outlined with the biggest trees Draco has ever seen, all equal, forming a wall to the outside world. 30 yards down past said field, the lake reflected the setting sun. The water met with a tiny bank made up with rocks and wet sand, a few shells sitting here and there.

To the left stood a plateau made of rock, easy enough to climb on. Off in the distance behind a pack of trees stood Hogwarts, mighty and proud.

In total, the cove created a half circle of complete and utter solitude.

"Harry-" Draco was cut off by a pair of gentle lips pressed to his own through a heavy dose of courage on Harry's part.

They stood there for maybe a minute, or possibly an hour, or maybe an eternity.

For that never mattered.


	11. Chapter 11: Roller Coaster

**Chapter 11: Roller Coaster**

His lips were soft and sweet, however nonmoving, both afraid- hell- petrified to do anything else. Their entirety of nerve endings sizzled all over, everywhere they could against their will.

And it felt so good.

Harry was the one to release reluctantly, and Draco opened his eyes, not even remembering when he closed them. Green met mercury in a silence of deep breaths, each feeling the others exhale- that's how close they were. The blonde didn't know what to say.

"H-hey you," Draco blurted, and Harry let out a light laugh.

"Hey," he bit his lip, and Draco watched him do it before he flicked his eyes in curiosity back to Harry's.

"How do you know about this place?" He looked back through the ropes. Harry didn't answer just yet. Instead, he just lead Draco through the vines. They were heavy and made up of vegetation as well as loose branches that swung as he pushed them.

Light blinded them, but their eyes adjusted quickly, the magnificent sight in front of them becoming more and more crystal clear.

Harry took off his robes and hung them on a peg made up of a broken branch just at the entrance. He held his hand out to Draco.

"Robe?"

Draco tried to keep back a smile but he stripped himself of it and handed it to him, receiving a happy huff from Harry, and he hung it on top of his. "What a gentleman."

Harry smiled and grabbed both of Draco's hands, walking backwards to the middle of the field, close enough to hear the subtle waves of the water crash onto the bank. A blanket rested there. Draco watched him, eyeing his entire face, his heart beating at their touch. Harry's hands were soft, too.

They sat on the blanket, a breeze nipping at them, for the snow was untouchable in the area, however the bite of winter still froze the air.

"I don't understand this place," Draco said, looking out at the water. "It doesn't snow here. The trees... are incredible. How did you..." He trailed off, looking back at Harry.

"It was second year. Everyone kept blaming me for being the Heir of Slytherin and I just wanted to get away for a while. I went for a walk and I saw the first tree, and of course, being a twelve year old, I 'investigated with my imagination' I guess you could call it. Then I found this place.

"On the way back, I was tired, I didn't want to weave through it, and I ended up being completely lost in the opposite direction. I think it's a trick so if someone went looking for you, they couldn't find you. If you miss one tree, you're in the middle of the forest with werewolves and whatnot. I come here a lot."

"Is this where you went when they called your name for the Triwizard tournament," Draco asked and Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "I wasn't following you," he said, quieter, "I just saw you got out the Hall."

"Yeah. I like this place. A lot. It's just... magic." Harry took a deep breath. "And I think I'd like it better with you."

Draco blushed. They both sat there and looked into each others eyes, and then at each other's lips. And then somehow, they were closer together. The blonde couldn't feel his hand when he reached up and put it to Harry's hair, wiping it from his scar. He traced it with his thumb. "I've always wanted to do that."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I want.. I want to kiss you too..."

"Then, kiss me."

They looked at each other another second more before slowly moving in. They stopped hovering each other's lips, and Harry watched as Draco closed his eyes, awaiting the other to make a move.

And then they met harshly.

This time they were active: Draco moved his hand to Harry's neck and pulled him closer, and Harry put a hand on Draco's bicep. Their noses skimmed each other as their lips sucked leisurely. It felt as though they were on a cloud.

"Draco," Harry asked breathlessly after they let go.

"Yes?"

"How are you so good at this," Harry asked as he bit his lip, miss Draco's taste.

"Well, because with you, it is easy." Draco opened his eyes to see green emeralds staring into his own eyes. They both smiled.

Draco looked away from Harry to see the beautiful land that was speculated in front of him. The trees were ever so tall and the grass was ever so green. The sun was setting but the only thing he could look at was Harry.

He now knew what Pansy meant.

Giving out, Draco lay down on the blanket smiling up at the darkening sky, then turned his head to admire the sunset past Harry, however his view was obscured when Harry lay back as well.

"Excuse me, Scarface, you're blocking my view." Draco said in a snobbish tone, dropping his face into a mask.

"Sorry, Ferret. Shall I move," Harry laughed.

"Hey, that's crossing the line!" Draco's mouth dropped to that of an 'o'.

"What shall I call you then?" Harry propped his head up with one arm, wind flying through his hair.

"How about," Draco pouted in deep thought, Harry admiring him, "The Slytherin Prince- Wait no! God. The Slytherin God." His eyes lit up and a cocky, smug grin.

"Oh but Ferret is much more suitable," he laughed. The two finished off their smiles and stared up into the sky until it grew dark, comfortable in silence, small conversation ringing on and off.

Harry closed his eyes, dreaming of whatever he wished, but Draco kept his eyes open and watched him. Fear was growing. He didn't want to mess something like this up.

"Harry," Draco asked, and the boy opened his eyes at his nervous tone.

"Yeah?"

"Am I your first...you know... relationship?"

"Yes," he whispered, the night swallowing the sky. "Am I yours?" Draco nodded. "This should be fun then," Harry said looking up at the stars once more.

"Are you nervous," Draco swallowed. Harry eyed him carefully and noticed how uptight he looked, jaw clenched, wide eyes. Draco sat up so his back was to Harry. Then Harry turned to deep thought.

"A little," he said softly. "Are you?"

"Absolutely," his voice cracked in a whisper.

"Are you scared," Harry asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'm terrified," Draco shouted in a whisper. Harry sat up and crawled next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, Draco's worried eyes staring at him.

"About what?"

"Everything! What if people find out? My father, you don't understand if my father-"

"Draco, that's not going to... we won't let that happen, I won't," Harry shook his head.

"Yeah, sure," Draco bit his lip with an attitude. "It's just... I've never done this stuff before."

"What, had a boyfriend? I know it's a scary thing being with someone of the same gender, I mean and me of all people. We've hated each other for years-"

"No, liked something," Draco shouted. "I don't... I don't feel!"

"Ever?" Harry eyed him in curiosity.

"No," he said almost solemnly, "Malfoy's were raised for power. Not love. In our family, love- it's something thing that holds us back. Gets in our way." Harry could sense the pain in his words.

"Whoever led you to believe that is an idiot."

"That's my father for you!"

"The world survives on it. I wouldn't be here without it. Whoever told you that obviously doesn't know anything about how to live."

"I don't want to mess this up, Harry. I really like you for some stupid reason." Harry snorted, "And I... I'm so lost, Harry." Draco leaned his head so that it was nuzzled in Harry's neck. Harry stroked his hair.

"Well I'm going to find you. That's a promise."

When in Divination the next week, it being double block with Gryffindors and Slytherins combined, Draco felt a small weight in the hood of his robes, and he reached for it before it could go noticed by anyone else. Hiding the parchment under the desk in case any eavesdroppers lurked about, he unfolded it, wondering how it was even put in there to begin with; no one sat behind him.

Happy Friday

-Scarface

After reading it twice, Draco involuntarily smiled despite his need not to. It was brief, but Harry saw it, (he was practically staring at him across the room for half the period), and thankfully no one else saw it due to it's succinct nature.

Harry bit his tongue in attempts to not grin, but it still counted as to making Draco smile, and that was something Harry enjoyed doing, even if it occurred for a millisecond.

In total, they'd been boyfriends for two weeks, although they'd only met once in scarce they'd get caught if they encountered more than once or twice in a seven day epoch. They figured Harry's friends would get suspicious as well.

Friday. It was their day, simple as that. They only planned to meet Fridays, and only wanted to meet Friday's because what better way to end the workweek with a night of rapture.

Draco was called from the parchment due to a crash, his head shooting up to find a crystal ball on the floor.

"Professor Trelawney, are you alright," some idiot Gryffindork to whom Draco couldn't give a thought as to learning the name of asked, and the teacher turned abruptly, almost harshly, frazzled and startled.

"Today," she said, and only said, and then repeated it in lower and higher octaves, various tones and voices. "Today!"

"Today? Friday," the girl answered.

"What's wrong with Friday," Daphne Greengrass asked.

"The date," Trelawny answered, whispering it. Then, she shouted it in a panic. "The date!"

"What's the date," Weasley asked, dumbfounded.

"The thirteen-" Hermione was cut off by Trelawny backing into one of the many tables along the room, knocking over a set of brass stands and a few tea cups.

Draco and Harry both jerked up, locking eyes briefly. "Told you," Draco mouthed. Harry muzzled his mouth to keep from breaking out in a fit of laughter. Hermione looked at him briefly and then back at Trelawny, just in time for Draco to dip his head and bite his tongue to keep from snickering, but initially keeping it in, he ended up snorting, causing Pansy to look at him weirdly and Blaise to give him wild eyes, along with a few Slytherins in the proximity.

Thankfully the rest of the class was resting on the fact that Trelawny was spazzing, and more than usual. "The thirteenth, Friday the thirteenth," she gasped, hyperventilating, knocking over another sphere in the process, and shrieking as an effect to it.

Harry burst out laughing, face red, and a few did too in sheer confusion, but Harry was the loudest and Hermione ended up kicking his leg under the table.

"Why are you laughing," she asked sharply, however Ron started chuckling too.

"Come on, 'Mione," he said, "He's love sick, head in the clouds! Give him a break!"

"And what's your excuse?"

Ron was about to speak, but was cut off by another shout.

"Friday the Thirteenth," she moaned in despair, "Danger! Mortal peril!" Harry glanced at Draco when his friends looked away, and they locked eyes again before the blonde lost complete control and chuckled. "This is it! This is my end!"

At this point, Draco's throat rang with such an extraneous amount of laughter, people stared, and Pansy hit him under the table, causing him to stop swiftly, the ghost of a laugh playing on his lips even though he pulled his mask into a scowl.

Harry saw that, too, and as a result, he cackled, burying his head in his arms which were supporting him on the table, his body bobbing up and down.

Involuntarily snorting, Draco attempted to control himself, although he would do anything to laugh aloud and openly right now. It made him look forward for their date even more so later that evening.

"What's wrong with you," Hermione glared at him with wide eyes, furrowing her eyebrows in the process, "Did you take some laughing potion or something?"

"Was Malfoy just laughing," Ron asked, but Harry went serious.

"Not possible. 'Malfoys don't laugh,'" he mocked in a snotty tone, then laughed at his impression.

"I could have sworn he did. It was probably the strangest, most unattractive thing I'd even heard," Ron laughed.

"Probably Parkinson. Probably has Malfoy's tongue stuck in her throat she can't help but sound like a madwoman," Harry cringed, his face heating.

"Bleh, Mate! That's gross. I don't want to think of that," he cowered. "Malfoy tongue."

"Gross," Harry agreed, and put up a fake look of disgust. And it was indeed most fake.

As of recent events, Harry grew fascinated at the thought of Draco's tongue.

Due to Trelawny's (moreover) insane state, they were released early for lunch in hopes her good deed would 'Save her from the Devil,' as she put it.

Harry was practically skipping down the hall with a smile on his face with his friends.

"You're in for it, aren't you mate," Ron laughed.

"Hmm?"

"You're too smiley for your own good," he said.

"Can't help it," Harry bit his lip to keep from smiling. He lagged behind them, Ron calling back words over his shoulder.

"When can we meet her," he turned around.

"Not yet," Harry replied.

"Oh come on, Harry," Hermione said, "I'll figure it out eventually!"

"That's your only shot."

"Harry," Ron complained, turning back around, swinging his bag along with his steps.

"We want to keep it a se-"

Harry was stopped by a hand over his mouth, and was pulled from behind one of the many tapestries along the 5th floor corridor. When oriented again, Harry's eyes met Draco's and he immediately smiled.

Ron and Hermione turned behind them to find the cooridor empty. "Mate?"

There wasn't an answer, mostly due to the fact that Draco 1.) didn't want to get caught and 2.) still had his hand over Harry's mouth.

"Alright," Ron called with a smirk, "Don't suck his face too hard, mystery girlfriend," he heard two snorts, "He still needs to eat later."

"Ron," Hermione hit him.

"Alright, we'll go! Just return him when you're done ravishing him," he called to Draco, unknowingly as to the fact that it was him behind the curtain and not some girl. "Oh and he likes it when you stroke behind his ear!"

"Ron," Harry shouted as he shoved away his hand, and Draco smirked at him. "Go away!"

"Fine!" They didn't speak until they heard footsteps getting quieter and quieter until they were nonexistent. Both held their breath until they were certain.

And then they began laughing hysterically. "You were right," Harry chuckled. "I can't believe you were right about Trelawny!"

"I told you!"

They continued laughing, and then stared at each other, searching in their humorous eyes.

"How would he ever know that," Draco said, smiling at him.

"Know what? Who?"

"Weasley. That you liked being stroked behind your ear."

"The Yule Ball. Hermione helped me with my hair and I guess I closed my eyes and shivered," Harry said, but then trailed away as Draco put his hand behind his ear, stoking his hair behind it. His eyes lulled shut and he leaned to the touch, his hairs standing up against the back of his neck, and Draco could see it.

"Like that?"

"Yeah," Harry said in such a dream-like state, it was almost as if he was dreaming. Draco smirked at it.

"Now I know how to shut you up."

"I know how you shut you up, too," Harry smirked as well.

"Oh really, and how would that be?"

Harry, although smiling, grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him gently. They moved their mouths little, still unfamiliar as to each other's limits, still thinking it was incredibly weird that they'd gone from foes to boyfriends. And then at the thought of them being boyfriends, Harry pushed forward, startling Draco, although he wasn't opposing to it.

They moved, opening their mouths and then finishing by sucking on the other's lips, only to do it all over again, their bodies warming and nerve endings sparking. Draco couldn't think, didn't want to think, rather. He found his arm on Harry's bicep and then shoulder, caressing it. He then thought of another idea and stroked behind his ear again, and Harry visibly shivered.

They released with heavy breathing, and Harry opened his eyes to find Draco's still closed, as if he didn't want to open them.

When he finally did, They smiled at each other.

"I'm going to kill Ron for telling you that."

"Why," Draco smiled and did it yet again, petting behind his ear.

"Or maybe I should thank him."

Draco beamed, loving the sheer feeling of smiling, not even realizing how closer together they were. He bit his lip, "I'll see you tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Harry smiled and kissed his cheek.

He then shoved Draco out from behind the tapestry.

Draco walked through the vine ropes only to hear a crack of a twig. He looked around the field to find it empty, and since he'd already been late himself, he wondered if Harry was even going to show up. He took a step forward, hearing another crack and immediately he disregarded it as the branch beneath his foot. However, what he wasn't anticipating was the upside down Harry suddenly swinging in front of him to block his path, although Draco was too frightened to move anyway.

"Merlin, Harry! You could have give me a bit of a warning," he clutched his chest in attempts to calm his jump-started heart. "And possibly a heart attack."

Harry swung back and forth, dangling from his knees on a low branch. His hair hung loosely and swayed against his rhythm of to and fro,

"I broke a twig," his voice strained against gravity. The boy's glasses were barely hanging onto his ear and Draco fixed them, his hand lingering on his face. "Surprise." They gazed into each other's eyes, and they took note how different they looked given the new perspective.

Harry released his grip on the tree and let his arms swing in full arch, barely missing Draco's body. He lifted his hand, and raised his eyebrow. "I have a present for you." Draco held out his hand. Harry let a flower fall from his hands, "I picked it myself," he gave a peachy smile, "just for you."

Draco stared at him, trying to hold back smile: failing miserably. "How thoughtful. You killed a living and thriving plant and disrupted the balance of nature just for me."

"Well if you put it that way," Harry pulled a weird face.

"Here," Draco squatted down and grabbed a few blades of grass, ripping them from their roots and giving it to Harry. "For you."

"Thank you," Harry chuckled. "I will treasure this until my dying day.

Draco watched him as he laughed, particularly at his lips. He felt the urge again, the magnetic, alluring demand of his lips on Harry's. Harry saw the anticipation in his eyes, and he shut his own, puckering his lips, not a noticeable amount, but just enough. He parted them slightly. Draco took his opportunity and they kissed...awkwardly. Kissing already felt weird in general, and it being completely upside down felt even odder.

Although odd, it did feel just as great, just as tingly. Draco found his hand on Harry's upside down cheek, it being completely opposite as to what he normally felt.

"I'm light headed," Harry breathed when they released.

"Well come down then, before you kill yourself," Draco said.

"You come up."

"Harry, you're going to get hurt, and I'm going to laugh at you."

"I won't move until you come up here with me," Harry opened his eyes. "The view's amazing. Hurry up, I have a headache."

"Fine," Draco mumbled, and Harry lifted and twisted himself to where he was sitting upright, feet dangling from the tree. As Draco made his way up, he smiled but kept it from Harry's view. "You're an idiot."

"I'm a cute idiot."

"Hardly," Draco grunted as he lifted himself up, placing himself next to Harry. "Wow, you're right, the view is great up here."

"Would I lie to you?"

"Yes," Draco said in certainty, "Most definitely."

"Ehh... It depends on the day," Harry laughed, and Draco grabbed his hand. Harry's was sweaty, but the soft sweaty, the nice sweat. His arms heated. There was an awkward silence. They'd had a few of those, unsure as to what the other was to say, unsure if they should fill the silence. But sometimes that was reassuring, that everything wasn't perfect. It made it mundane, and Harry liked mundane in the words of human. For once he felt normal, and maybe that was why his heart was racing.

"You know what's really strange," Draco spoke, breaking the quiet.

"What?"

"Kissing."

"I completely agree! It feels so weird," Harry related, "I thought I was the only one-"

"Hell no," Draco laughed, "Like when we move our mouths and there's air in between our lips." Draco pointed at his open mouth. "It's like... It's like..."

"Eating air!"

"Yes," Draco smiled, "exactly like eating air! It feels weird you know... kissing."

"Yeah. Not what I expected it to be like," Harry swallowed back a smile, "Nothing like what I expected it to be like."

"I think it's just the consciousness of it. Like... do you think when I'm kissing you that I'm actually kissing you?"

"I feel like that's a philosophical question. Like, do we all even exist?"

"Don't even get me started about that," Draco bit, "I've had too many sleepless nights with no answers!"

Harry chuckled. "Me too. Like, why are we all here if we're meant to die anyway."

"I haven't a clue, Potter," Draco grinned.

"My name is Harry," Harry kicked his dangling foot.

"H-hey," Draco laughed, "It's a habit."

They were silent a bit, looking out into the sunset, and then they turned to look at each other, thinking the exact same thing.

"What's the point of a habit if we don't exist," Harry asked, and Draco shoved at his shoulder, cackling, causing Harry to laugh as well, and it all ended with Draco resting his head on Harry's shoulder, thinking back to the days where he dreamed of this; laughing with Harry Potter. He sighed, "Where have you been all my life?"

Harry turned to him. "Hiding from you."

And they laughed again.

"We are going to learn how to make out if it kills me, Potter," Draco shoved a laughing Harry on his back before crossing his arms. "Surely you can beat a Dark Lord and somehow kill a damned basilisk, but the second someone starts to shove their tongue down your throat, you go into a giggle fit."

The first time their tongues touched, they were completely hesitant, and it felt damn weird. Harry backed off completely and pulled a face whilst Draco wiped his tongue on his sleeve. The second time, they met in full force, and Harry put his tongue practically down Draco's throat- Draco not expecting it- and he was gagging for moments afterwards. 'Merlin, Harry, are you trying to choke me,' Draco exclaimed, and Harry laughed.

That was two weeks before now. Every time they tried again, the other backed away, just because of the nerves. But today, once again, they tried again, and the tickle of their tongues meeting caused Harry to laugh, and as of now, Draco was complaining yet again.

"Why does anyone do this," Harry hooted.

"I don't know! Why does anybody do what they do? Couples are weird."

"Have you ever thought about the first time two people tried to make out," Harry asked, a smile on his face as his laughs went away, but they came back the second Draco started laughing. "It was probably better than this!"

"Doubt it! We aren't that inhabitable!"

"Draco this is our 6th time and we still can't get it," Harry laughed.

"We aren't leaving here until we can," Draco demanded. "I don't care if it's all night. It's not like this is breaking into the vaults at Gringotts. It's just making out for Merlin's sake!"

"Okay fine," Harry sat up positioning himself to where their thighs were basically touching. They looked into each other's eyes for a split second and then leaned, however their lips never connected because Harry snorted and started laughing again, spraying Draco with spit.

"Bleh!" Draco wiped it off, "You're such an ignoramus!"

"I'm sorry," Harry chortled. "I've had a case of the giggles all day! Ask Flitwick, really! He said this one spell and I couldn't control myself for the life of me!"

Draco buried his head in Harry's shoulder and shook his head, laughing. "I swear you're awful. Yet you wonder why it took you so long to get a Yule Ball date! I would have been mortified even if we were dating at that point."

"Hey, you're just as bad! You kiss like a girl," he accused, and before he knew it Draco was on top of him, straddling his hips. Their faces were exceedingly close, noses touching.

"Say that again." His eyes withheld danger.

"You. Kiss. Like. A. Girl," Harry smirked, grabbing Draco's tie. "Prove me wrong, then, if you disagree. Prove me wrong." Harry looked at Draco's lips, and just that made Draco smash their lips together, almost bruising them. Harry moaned and wrapped his arms around Draco's back. Their lips moved fiercely, sucking, and Draco bit his bottom lip, not even giving Harry a choice since he gasped and Draco propelled his tongue in his mouth.

Finally, finally, their tongues met and Draco immediately took dominance before Harry could even comprehend what he was feeling. And when he finally did, it felt damned good. Harry couldn't properly think, and he was moaning, and so was Draco.

Draco explored all he could, flicking the roof of his mouth, feeling along his tongue, tasting his taste, swiping his along his teeth- top and bottom- among his cheeks and he found his hand on Harry's jaw.

He released when he was out of breath, staring down at a flushed Harry, his cheeks a deep red. Harry was dizzy and couldn't form any speech, breathing heavy.

"How was that," Draco smirked, becoming very aware that he was still completely on top of Harry. That was the strange part.

"Wow, Draco, that was, erm... that was," Harry bit his lip, "very much a like a girl."

Draco's smirk dropped and he got off of Harry completely before taking a few blades of grass and shoving them down his shirt. "How would you even know!"

"Relax," Harry laughed, sitting up and throwing himself at Draco so they were both lying down on the grass. "It was great," Harry kissed him again. "Now it's a matter of perfecting it," he wiggled a suggestive eyebrow.

They leaned in again, and the second their lips met, Harry started laughing again. "I'm sorry! I can't help it!"

Draco just rolled his eyes and started laughing as well.

They continued on meeting just like that, every Friday, without one question or conflict. Draco's friends left them alone about it, thankfully, and when they were alone without the pressures, without the reputations, without the expectations, everything went smooth sailing.

It was just strange how compatible they were, really, it was totally bizarre and unexpected. Draco found a completely different person inside himself, strangely. It was if he had a completely different personality.

Sometimes they would go broomstick riding at midnight, or the two would hang out and talk, kiss a little... okay a lot, and at the end of each meeting, they would choreograph their next fight, insults and all. Their deceit was at an all time high, and fooling everyone was simple and grand.

Although, it's not like there weren't bumps in the road; at first they were both resistant to the idea of fighting out of the blue, simply because they didn't to cause voluntary pain to the other, but eventually they got in sync and even made a competition out of it. Whoever was champion got kissed, or a massage, or whatever they could think of.

Once when Draco won, he got Harry to sneak into Trelawney's class and shift the entire set up four inches to the right: just enough to drive her crazy.

But it was through laughing and smiling and kissing and talking about absolutely nothing at all that made them grow so close, it was if they'd known each other for years, and Draco found it being as if he was remembering Harry rather than meeting him.

It was like a dream, erratically.

Now when it came to Harry's friends; to flat out say it, they were basket cases. They would beg and plead to know who this 'mystery girl' was, and although Harry gave them very subtle hints, they were vague and there wasn't a thing to really run on.

Draco and Harry planned on that too. They knew exactly what to say if ever needed, and a long end of excuses on the back of their hands. It was when Harry would get annoyed would he say stupid things such as

Oh she's sick!

She's too nervous!

She doesn't have time!

But Hermione grew aggravated. Two Sundays before the final task- which Harry was already nervous about- when Hermione cornered him in the library.

"Harry, why won't you let Ron and I meet your girlfriend?"

"Hermione, we've gone over this how many time?"

"Harry," Hermione looked offended, "Obviously she's really important to you because all you do now a days in class is daydream. Why can't you trust us enough to tell us, or at least me!"

"Because h-she doesn't matter," Harry lied. Draco most definitely mattered. "She's not my girlfriend, anyway, why don't you get off it already?"

"Oh come on Harry," she groaned, "There's no way you can get that look off you're face without her. Why are you being so secretive about this?"

"Because it's what we both want, Hermione. We agreed: no friends, no one, should know."

"But why, Harry?"

"Because for once I'm happy," he snapped, "For once I'm really happy and when no one's around, we just... we connect and we don't want the outside world to break that. Just for once can I be happy and thankful for what I have without it being taken from me?

"She makes me feel normal. She makes me forget about the tournament and that I'm Harry Potter. She doesn't just want me for the scar. And feeling normal is something I've never had. And I love it. I love the feeling of it.

"We just work well, very well, together. I don't know if it's chemistry, or if it's just compatibility, or just us being blind fools, but... I don't know how to say this," he bit his lip, "It's simple because we make it simple, and dragging friends into it would just be complicated. We don't want that now. There's a spark that I hadn't anticipated but it's there, even after four months. We're trying things out and if it all burns down in flames, let it. But for now I want to keep this between me and he-her Can you respect that?"

She took a breath, "Yes, Harry. Whatever you want. You know I'll always be here for you, right?"

"Thank you, Hermione." He leaned in to hug her and did so tightly, however he was disrupted by an angry voice.

He scoffed, and Harry identified jealousy in his irises. He took note to talk to him about it later. "Scarbrain and Granger. What, are you two planning a make out session. Does Granger want some Potty tongue? Or does she want his repulsive, unjustified fame?"

Harry was taken aback. That hurt a little. Draco knew- or supposedly knew he didn't want anyone else but him. This wasn't the fight they planned last week, and that's what turned Harry's heart cold. He was torn between wondering if there was something on Draco's mind, or if there wasn't a Draco.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry sneered. "Just leave her alone." Insulting Draco had become a foreign affair. Since they planned everything out in time, they didn't need fast, just they needed quantity, and their limit of practice turn Harry slow and ineffective.

"You're right, Potter. I should leave you two, wouldn't want to see such a rancid sight. Sorry I disturb your disgusting affairs, it's just, this is a public library. Why don't you bring your bitch into a dark alcove. That way you won't even have to see her repulsive face."

Harry stopped, dead cold. What the hell was Draco saying? He stuttered, and Hermione stood with a pale face. He clenched his fist, but Draco uncharacteristically showed no remorse.

"You know Potter, I assumed you were above it all," Draco said calmly, and Harry had never been so repelled in his life, "Never thought you'd want some mudblood tongue."

Anger boiled in his stomach enough to turn his face red. A fist connected with Draco's jaw and he was on the floor. Draco grasped his bone in siring pain, looking up to see a teary eyed Harry.

"The hell is wrong with you? You're sick!"

"W-wait," he dropped all masks.

"No, don't you dare speak. Don't you ever speak. Never again!"

"But-"

"Piss off, Malfoy. I can't believe I would ever think that you weren't anything but a loathsome, racist sociopath! Thank you for proving me wrong. I'll never make that mistake again," he spat, hoping Hermione figured he was talking about Draco's more-so calmer behavior. Their fights weren't as nasty as usual, and he recalled Ron made a comment about it at breakfast the other day. Harry barely defended him, saying that a miracle happened and the Gods above blessed a somewhat nice Malfoy.

But then again, he couldn't care less if Hermione found out right then, because he decided that what he and Draco had was over. Completely over. History to never be read again. Their bliss ended in six words.

And not one word of regret leaked from his mouth.


	12. Chapter 12: The Final Task

Chapter 12: The Final Task

Harry avoided Draco every second since the incident in the library occurred, and although the two weeks since had passed in pain, Harry let up no remorse. It's not that Draco didn't try to make things up to Harry, oh no, his hand was still cramped from the letters he wrote to him, but Harry threw them away before he could even read them.

He didn't know what he was thinking or saying. He just got jealous, and maybe it was because he hadn't anything to be jealous about before, or maybe he didn't know what it felt like to lose something he cared about.

But now he did.

Draco found that the hole made in his chest was now filled with self-loathing. Why hadn't he just shut his mouth like a human being and talked about it to Harry later?

And of course, he wasn't angry about losing Harry, he was determined to get him back against all odds just to get that even worse feeling out of his chest, but more-so the timing. The horrid, horrid timing. It was right before the last task, and Harry had talked about it earlier with him before their break up. Draco knew the boy was absolutely petrified.

And could see it in his face at dinner, and during classes, and all the time in between. But he could see no one was helping him, and he'd kill just for a moment to talk to Harry and make everything okay. Or to at least wish him luck and reassure him he'd be fine.

How could he have been so stupid? Harry could die tonight. That thought made him want to puke.

The wind sent a chill down Draco's spine- or maybe it wasn't the wind- when the champions made their way out into the arena. He gripped the railing when he saw the Gryffindor and a lump grew in the back of his throat.

Dumbledore explained how the maze was to go, but Draco couldn't hear, couldn't think. He just stared at Harry, burning holes in the back of this head. Diggory stood next to him, readying himself since they could go first, although the Hufflepuff went unnoticed by Draco. He only saw Harry.

It wasn't before long until the boy turned around and saw Draco, and Draco took the opportunity to mouth, 'You'll be okay,' but Harry scowled and rolled his eyes in return before turning back to the maze.

Before he knew it, the cannon rang and Harry was gone all too soon without another look.

Draco's throat burned, and the back of his eyes heated. He didn't notice Pansy take his hand. He didn't notice her rubbing circles on his knuckles. He didn't notice Blaise patting his back in reassurance. He could only think about Harry.

Some time later, Pansy spoke. "He's going to be okay. He's Harry Potter. He's always okay."

Her words didn't console him. He swallowed and shook as he did. Everyone around him was chatting, laughing and waiting all together for the champion of the tournament. It was sick.

Fleur had already been knocked out, and her appearance didn't calm Draco to the least. She looked as if she'd been to battle, bruises and dirt covering her face. Blood rested in a pool on a cut on her face and she was crying.

Suddenly, red sparks flew in the air and Draco's eyes went wide. "Pansy! What does that mean! What does red mean," his voice cracked in a panic, tightening their hands, "Red's bad, isn't it?"

Pansy didn't have a good answer for him, so she kept her mouth shut and clanged to him tighter, knowing that if she didn't, Draco would run into the maze and search for Harry himself.

So this is what pain felt like. This is what heartbreak felt like, not knowing where the person you cared about most was. Draco hated it. Period. With this newly feeling of an empty hole in his body, he knew he wanted to change for Harry. He knew his ways and beliefs were wrong, and would do what it took to get him back.

He'd do anything to make the pain go away.

Soon enough, Victor came from the maze, looking even worse than Fleur did, however he was taken away before there were any conclusions made; Draco could have sworn he'd seen demonic eyes.

But before he could think anything of it- FLASH!

Silence took over the stadium, hearts beating for the champion to return to the arena, but neither Cedric nor Harry appeared. Draco's mouth went dry and the blood pumping in his vains stopped. Where's Harry?

Surely it'd been long enough. Surely there should have been a champion at this point. Surely Harry was okay. He wanted his boyfriend back, whether or not he was in a fight with him. Ex or together, it didn't matter. They'd settle the details later.

What wasn't helping was the professors' faces. Panic was laced within them. Draco knew: portkeys never take this long to travel.

Dumbledore called officials to fly over the maze in search for the two. It was what seemed like an eternity when the officers came back.

They mumbled something to Dumbledore which turned the man pale. But Draco didn't miss a beat.

Harry was missing from the maze.

Draco's breathing grew erratic, and he hyperventilated. Tightening her grip, Pansy tried to calm him down although nothing she did could help him - hell, nothing in general. The only thing to make everything okay again would be Harry in his embrace.

"Draco, he'll be fine," she said.

"How do you know," Draco cried.

"Shh! What happened to, 'Daddy mustn't find out.' Screaming it in the middle of a packed arena wouldn't necessarily help-"

Another boom cut her off, and all attention was sent to center field where two bodies lay. The band erupted and so did the crowd, but Draco didn't feel any shift in emotion: something was wrong. He could just feel it.

But when a scream screamed loud enough to silence the whole stadium, Draco's believes were validated. It wasn't just two victors, no, but one screaming victor laying over a dead body. Draco's blood ran cold.

Harry.

The boy screamed words to the likes of which Draco couldn't understand to save himself. "He's back!"

That was all it took for Draco to attempt to break from his restraints and run to the Gryffindor, but Pansy held him harder, and Blaise grabbed his shoulders so he couldn't move.

"Let go of me," he struggled, shaking. He had his eyes fixed on Harry, just as everyone else, but no one else knew what Draco was feeling seeing Harry screaming as he was. He jerked to break free, but no let up. "Please! I need to see him!"

"You're not going anywhere," Pansy strained, her finger nails embedding themselves into his skin. He didn't feel it over the burning of his chest and the brick in his stomach.

"Let me go!" Draco had tears in his eyes.

"Calm down, will you," Blaise snapped, becoming aware of the surrounded, to whom saw Draco shaking and raised a brow. "He's back. He's safe. That's all that matters."

"You'll see him soon enough," Pansy said, close to his ear. His body calmed a bit, but his facial expressions and attitude did not.

"Soon enough does not exist. Soon enough is now," he bit, turning for her. "What you think he's okay down there. He was screaming! He was in pain!"

"You can't do anything to change it," she bit back. "This is the price of caring, Draco. From what I recall, you never wanted to care just to spare yourself for this. You brought this upon yourself. Welcome to life."

Draco's eyes went wild, and, although eager to respond, he didn't speak because another small glimpse of the field, and Harry wasn't there. He froze.

"Where'd he go? Is he missing again! Where-"

"Moody took him," Blaise said, "Calm down and shut up. He's fine. He's not everybody's main concern right now."

"He's mine!"

"Look," Blaise said, pointing to Cedric's father and the weeping students. And what Draco never expected happened: he felt his heart split at the justice of other people.

Back in the days before Harry, something like this would dry his throat, but no, now, he wanted to cry, and felt tears form. He'd never cried for the sake of another.

He wondered if he'd ever care that much, like Cedric's father, and if he did, how could he ever cope with the pain of it all. Caring for someone, it was a hell of a job.

Harry felt like a puppet, whose strings were attached to various adults; as of now, it was to Madam Pomfrey's hands guiding him. Hours upon hours floated by leisurely, being filled with questions upon questions and potions upon potions.

Well past two in the morning was when he was only left alone for rest he knew wouldn't come. Not with his arm hurting as bad as it did, nor with his leg hurting as much as it did, nor with his scar burning as much as it did, nor with the fact a murderous sociopath had been brought back to life and an innocent and bright Hogwarts student was murdered right before his eyes and possibly all his fault.

Right... sleep.

He laid in bed, shaking, all too terrified that at any moment, Voldemort could walk through that door and kill him on sight. The look of Cedric's lifeless eyes replaying over and over again. Tears slipped his eyes and his throat burned.

Just then, the doors flew open and Harry, scared out of his wits, hid under the covers before he could even see who it happened to be. Footsteps got closer and closer.

"Don't kill me," Harry shouted into the pillows, hoping that that would warn off Voldemort.

Yeah... right... Because if a killing lunatic came into the room, those were the rules he'd play by.

"Harry," a voice whispered in haste, "Please, it's me."

Harry knew the voice all too well. He felt another scab being ripped open, and his heart bled even more. He lifted the covers off of him, wiping his eyes in the process. He turned to find Draco staring down at him with a frown.

"Draco what are you doing here?" He tried to sound angry with him, but he wasn't anymore. Not with him looking the way he looked. Draco couldn't fake a look like that, no matter the all the masks he had.

"I had to check on you," he whispered. "Make sure you're okay."

"You realize no one's allowed in here, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm still angry with you," he lied.

"I'm sorry," Draco spoke fast. "I shouldn't have said that. I was jealous," he swallowed. Harry recognized how hard it must have been to be saying it, since he rarely said anything else besides sorry. "It's just, it drives me through the moon, seeing other people hug you, when really that's all I ever want to do. I didn't know how to handle it. I'll apologize to her, too, if you want."

Harry was speechless, and not knowing what to say, he stood on his knees and pulled Draco into a desperate hug. Even Ron and Hermione hadn't come to see him.

"I'm sorry," Draco mumbled into Harry's shoulder, enclosing his arms around him. Draco felt as if he was being squeezed into a pulp. "All I've been wanting to do is this. All I've been thinking about is you. I miss you. I'll do anything, Harry, please, just let me be there for you. Take me back."

Harry nodded his head and he clenched, trying not to think about how he'd missed him, too. "Draco, I-I," he tried speaking, but his lips quivered too much to create a coherent sentence.

"Shhh," Draco held him tighter, "Calm down, you're all right." His muffled words were drowned in tears. "You're okay, you're safe now."

"I don't feel safe," Harry let go, slumping his shoulders as tears stroked his cheeks. "He's back, Draco. And there's already a casualty, and it was all my fault!"

"Hey," Draco cooed, "It's not your fault-"

"How would you know," Harry attacked, fresh tears falling, "You weren't even there!"

"Because within our three month endeavour, I did so happen to learn a bit about you, and you blame yourself for everything."

"I could have stopped it."

"We don't need to talk about this now. We can pretend it never happened until morning. How about that?" Draco stroked behind his ear, calming him down.

Harry bit his lip. "Stay," he finally said. Draco was caught off guard by his answer. Stay? As in stay the night as in cuddle? They'd never had time to properly cuddle in their strict time frames, and Draco had been happily avoiding it.

Cuddle. He cringed at the word. It just sounded fluffy.

The Gryffindor waited for an answer, looking at him with begging eyes. Draco scarcely nodded and Harry scooted over to make room for him. When Draco sat in the bed, he felt strange as Harry wrapped his arms around his waist, digging his face into his chest, completely oblivious to Draco's discomfort.

He was cuddling.

And it felt... good.

To feel Harry so close, to feel that sense of comfort of their skins touching and the trust building again. It was knowing that Harry didn't want anyone else with him right now, just him, that shoved away Draco's discomfort.

You know, for such a small and bony frame, Harry was unimaginably soft. Soft skin, soft hair, soft... muscles? Sure...

"No one believes me," Harry broke the silence, and Draco pulled him closer. "He's back and no one cares." Harry's muffled sobs rang into Draco's shirt. "H-he tried to kill me, again. He put me in it, just so he could have another go. You believe me, right?"

Did he? "Of course." Yeah, he did. Because no one could be as scared as Harry was without it being true.

"I never wanted this to happen," Harry cried, "Never. I never wanted to have my parents be killed. I never wanted to move in with my aunt and uncle. I never wanted to burn off Quirrell's face. I never wanted I kill Basilisk, or even talk one for that matter. I never wanted to be put in this Devil Tournament."

Draco rubbed small circles in Harry's back and let him cry for a while, realizing he didn't want Harry anywhere else than where he was.

"Harry, it's alright, I promise. You're safe now." He whispered into his ear.

After a few minutes to clear his thoughts and his eyes, Harry sat up and looked into Draco's eyes, swimming in them. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Harry. So much. I wanted to be there for you before the task, wanted to wish you luck."

"I should have let that happen. I should have forgiven you."

"Harry, stop," Draco unexpectedly said. I deserved it. I still do. I've thought about it, and you reacted perfectly. You had one rule and I broke it." Draco kissed his forehead. "It's a lesson learned. I'll never say anything like that again."

"Promise?"

"Yes. I promise. Harry kissed his lips, and they met for seconds. Draco most definetly missed that.

"You're safe now," Draco whispered one last time, knowing it was a lie, and Harry sunk down to bury his head in his neck.

The game had just begun.

And Draco realized he very much liked cuddling.


	13. Chapter 13: This Isn't Goodbye

**Chapter 13: This Isn't Goodbye**

Harry woke up at around 7:30 when a bang was heard down the corridor. Draco went from his dazed trance as footsteps snapped closer and closer towards the Hospital Wing door.

Click click click. Harry split open his eyes, like an alligator sighting prey, to Draco shooting out of bed and hiding on the wall that the door withheld. There was no where else to stow away, so he had a small bit of hope protruding the back of his mind that whomever it was walking to the hospital wing, would slip past him and enable him to leave unnoticed.

Harry thrashed himself under the covers, heart beating quickly, leaving his apologetic eyes looking at Draco. The blonde looked back at his boyfriend, his eyes the same tone of sorrow.

Once the grand doors opened, both boys closed their eyes- Harry in fake sleep and Draco in anticipation. The heels clicked through the large wing until they stopped at Harry's bed.

"Potter, are you awake?" Draco opened his squinted eyes to find Professor McGonagall hovering over Harry. He could see the boy flutter his eyes open, the way Draco wished to see him open them.

Harry slowly lifted himself from the bed and sat up, making Draco withhold laughter. It simply amused him how well his boyfriend could act.

Oh boyfriend, What a wonderful word.

"Listen, I understand that you may not want to participate in any activities whatsoever, but I do encourage that you get a bite to eat, maybe have some friends visit you." Her voice was as caring as it could be, which was surprising considering the fact that Draco had only seen her correcting any student that veered from her path. "Last night's event were traumatizing, but I would best if you were to-"

"I'm fine, Professor," Harry said, "just another mess I've got to clean up."

Draco still hadn't left, which was a stroke of luck considering how he didn't have anything hiding him but a back turned and subtle conversation.

"Very well, Mr. Potter, and if you wish to talk..." Harry didn't hear the rest, him being focused on getting the ferret out of the room before McGonagall turned, and that thought put Harry's nerves on stance. Thankfully the professor looked around the room, giving Harry the chance to glare at Draco, his daggers for eyes pointing at the door twice, then back to Draco as a warning.

Draco broke from his Harry-induced trance, eyebrows raising to his forehead, him finally getting the message. On his tip toes, he shuffled out of the room as quietly as humanly possible as Harry engaged and distracted McGonagall in conversation. As Draco ran after he was unseen, the last thing he heard was McGonagall informing Harry about the Diggory's wishing to see him.

Draco really wished he could of stayed, just so Harry wouldn't have to be alone going through that. And then of course there was the media and his friends probably going to hammer questions at him all day. Draco promised himself he would make it up to Harry later.

The Gryffindor wasted the day away with friends visiting him frequently, and although he was surrounded by people constantly, he couldn't have felt more lonely. He wanted Draco. Not anyone else but Draco.

The day dragged on longer than any he'd seen in awhile, and he thought falling asleep early would make time go faster just so it'd all blow over soon enough and he could stop being suffocated. Sadly, a peaceful night's rest never came due to nightmares that woke him soon enough.

In attempts to fall asleep again, tossing and turning, however he woke at three o' clock in the morning, only to be scared to death by piercing eyes staring at him. Harry jumped and sat up in a fright.

"The hell are you doing?"

"I came to see a grindylow put on a Tu-Tu and dance like a ballerina, what do you think I'm doing," Draco leaked with sarcasm, sitting on the side of Harry's bed. "Sorry, too soon?"

Harry swallowed. "No, It's fine..."

"Is it," Draco raised an eyebrow, grabbing his hand.

"It's just... It's hard to believe, you know? I mean I was in a maze, with Cedric-"

"Harry, you don't need to tell me if you don't want to," Draco whispered, stroking his palm with his thumb. He saw how difficult it was for Harry to talk; he saw how his throat clenched and his eyes watered behind his frames. "Here, I brought you something."

From behind his back, Draco pulled out a single red rose and a box of chocolates. "It's not much, but it's not like I could leave."

"Where did you get them," Harry asked, sitting up and perking up.

"That's classified," Draco smirked.

"Even for me?" Harry took the rose and smelled it before putting it in the flower vase next to his bed, it being the only flower.

Draco took a breath, defeated easily. "Stole the rose from the greenhouse and paid off a third year for the chocolates."

"How thoughtful of you," Harry laughed, kissing his cheek and digging in to one of the sweets displayed before him. "Was bullying apart of it?"

"Just a bit," Draco scrunched his nose and stroked the hair behind his ear. "Enough to work. It's not like I made him cry."

"You're awful sometimes," Harry shook his head, still smiling, and he offered a piece of candy to him. Draco took it graciously.

"I know how much you love chocolate," he laughed with a full mouth.

"Love chocolate I do," Harry took another piece. He scooted over and patted the bed so Draco could sit next to him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better," he said. "I have a huge headache, though."

"Don't they have potions for that?"

"I've taken some. They don't work. I think it's just my scar. It keeps burning no matter what I do."

"Your scar hurts," Draco asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"It does whenever I'm in danger, I guess you could say, whenever he's near."

"He couldn't be here, could he? The Dark Lord?"

"No," Harry said, "He touched it."

"Touched it?"

"Yeah," Harry raised his finger and poked the top of Draco's forehead just as Voldemort had before, "Just like that."

"And it hurt?"

"As bad as if not worse than the cruciatus."

A pit of anger ignited in Draco's stomach, "How do you know what the cruciatus feels like," he bit dangerously, "Did he use it on you?" Harry quieted himself. "Harry."

"Three times," Harry whispered.

"Three times," Draco boasted. "Three times!?"

"I was fine, Draco, really!"

"He touched you! He used an unforgivable on you!"

"Yes, and I'm fine! Now would you just shut up before you wake up the entire goddamned school!" Draco opened his mouth to argue back, but Harry spoke in a softer tone than what he was using before. "Really, Draco, I'm okay. Look, I have chocolate." Harry gave him a half smile. Draco didn't return.

"So, you want me to deal with the fact he hurt you?"

"To put it simply, yes. Unless of course you would want to complain to your father... who was also there... supporting him... and being there for him... hoping for my impending doom... So that would go over well."

Draco bit his lip and pulled his knees to his chest. For once, he truly hated being a Malfoy, but by doing so, he felt lost. For once, he didn't agree with his family choices. For once, he absolutely felt isolated from himself.

But in that isolation, he felt happiness. He felt like he belonged somewhere else. To Harry. And he hated the mere possibility let alone fact that Harry was tortured.

Draco reached over to Harry and wrapped his arms around him. Harry resisted, but then encased the blonde and put his neck buried in his shoulder. "I want to tell you."

"Then tell me," Draco mumbled back, letting go of him.

"I was running in the maze with Cedric," Harry said quietly, Draco taking his hand, Harry looking at their interlocked fingers. "And we both saw the cup. I suggested we catch it together seeing we were both-" Draco snorted, playing off like he was coughing. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just you and your inner Gryffindor." Harry rolled his eyes and snickered at the boy before furthering his story.

"Seeing as we were both for the school anyway, we could win together. Logical enough, right? So we both reach for the cup, thinking it would go back to the arena, but we didn't. We ended up in a graveyard. And before we could react, Wormtail- you know him, right?"

Draco nodded. "Unfortunately."

"Wormtail held this... this thing, a baby I guess you could say. Voldemort. And Cedric was there, and he killed him as if it was nothing." Harry swallowed, wincing, and Draco pulled Harry's hand to his mouth, kissing it, noticing the difficulty in spotting those gruesome words out.

"Wormtail tied me to Voldemort's father's grave, then lit a fire in a cauldron, And threw the baby into it. It was so weird and just wrong," Harry cringed. "And then he got a bone from the grave I was on top of, and threw it into the cauldron. He cut off his hand." Harry paused shutting his eyes, grimacing about the event taken place only the day previous. Draco rubbed circles on Harry's hand and swallowed.

"And he finally cut my arm, and threw the blood into the batch. And then it all started to change," Harry shook, eyes vacant and empty, "Just like that... he was alive again. His snake eyes and all. Then all the death eaters started showing up, your father." Harry looked up and met eyes with his boyfriend for the first time since the story began. Draco felt so much disgust, he thought he were to throw up, and as a result, he put his other hand on his back, rubbing it.

"He walked over to Cedric. And that's when I finally spoke up. And he... he," Harry trailed off, tears forming in his eyes. Draco squeezed his hand, and he leaned on Harry, burying his head in his neck. "That's when he used it on me, the cruciatus." Draco winced at the words, and Harry leaned on him, sniffing. He whispered, "It hurt really bad."

He sounded that of a kid, and for some reason, that made it seem even worse. "I know," Draco whispered back.

"And then he made me duel." That was unexpected to Draco.

"You dueled?"

"Yeah. And there was a point where he tried to kill me, but I used a disarming spell and our wands connected. Then these ghosty things just came out of nowhere," Harry swallowed. "They all started distracting him, and I broke the spell, grabbed onto Cedric and accioed the port key."

Harry was silent a bit. Then, "I saw my parents." Draco stroked his arm. "They helped me get out. I miss them," he sniffed.

Draco took his arms and surrounded Harry in them, cuddling just as they did the last night. He put the chocolates on the nightstand next to them, and Harry allowed himself relax himself in Draco's embrace.

"I'm sure they're proud of you, Harry," he kissed his temple, just in the fact it felt right to do so.

"It just would be easier knowing they were here." The back of his eyes stung with tears but he refused to let them fall.

"I know," Draco whispered, putting his chin in Harry's shoulder. "I'm sorry I was stupid. I should have been there for you."

"Stop worrying about it. Nothing could have helped me, broken up with you or not," Harry said bitterly, "Although I am very very happy you're here now. I wanted to be with you all day."

"Me too. Pansy basically had to lock me in my room so I didn't come see you."

"What a sight that would be. Draco Malfoy visiting Harry Potter with chocolates and a flowers after the Dark Lord ascends."

"It'd be a sight for everyone but us," Draco almost laughed, imagining the reactions.

"Sometimes you're still a sight to me. Sometimes I forget Draco and just think you're Malfoy."

"It's a switch, Potter," he sneered in his normal sneering voice, "I'm so convincing I even have my own boyfriend fooled," he smirked. "Prat," he added. Harry smiled momentarily, biting his lip. What a messed up relationship they had in retrospect.

"The Diggory's came to see me today," he finally said after a short silence.

"And," Draco whispered.

"They told me how brave I was to bring him back, Cedric," he swallowed, "But I didn't consider it that brave. It made me feel, sort of, unwanted I guess. If I didn't participate, he wouldn't of died. And-"

"Harry, he's with his family now. He doesn't have to be in the hands of the Dark Lord left to die in disgrace and no matter if you were in it or not, you-know-who would have... look this isn't your fault, Harry. Don't believe it is at all. It's his. You need to trust me. Look at me. Harry you are not in the wrong. And thanks to you, you got them their son back. That's all that matters." His words were straight from his heart and he didn't really know what he was saying. It felt so strange talking that way.

Harry, after a bit of silence and no movement, nodded his head and looked into Draco's eyes. Draco lay down next to Harry on the bed. It felt like a key into a lock when they were together, fitting one another perfectly. Weird...

They talked the rest of the night, and Harry slept little, although he liked it that way when he was with Draco. Sleep was irrelevant.

At this point, they'd lost track of time and it was already hitting day break; dawn.

"I have to go," Draco said solemnly, "might not want to be back after sunrise. People will wonder. When do you get out of this horrid place?"

"Two days. They need to make sure I am okay in the head. My leg still is sore too. Wouldn't want me beat up going home would they. Although the Dursley's wouldn't care."

"Too bad for them, Harry will be scratch free in no time. We leave Friday. Will I be able to see you off," Draco bit his lip.

"No, all my friends will be too protective of me. Term ends in only 5 days. I'm sure they want to spend as much time with me as possible,"

Harry frowned and Draco sighed. "Write to me?"

"My father won't allow it. And I'm sure You-Know-Who will have something to do with my summer, won't want the Golden Boy himself writing to the son of his best death eater." Harry's frown deepened.

"I'll miss you. A lot," he whispered. They looked at each other just for seconds ever passing too quickly. And then it was as if Harry couldn't take it any more and he smashed his mouth to Draco's, their lips meeting in fire. The thought that this would be the last one until next term in the back of their heads drove them to go until their lung capacity was almost empty. They sucked on each other's lips languidly, but desperately. Draco let go, dying for air.

"I'll miss you, too," he breathed, "Even more," he kissed him again, a peck, and then another. "You know what I realized while being with you?"

"What?"

"I hate good byes," Draco looked deeply into his eyes, stroking behind his ear yet again.

Harry breathed deeply. "It's not really good bye is it? It's more like a break?"

"No not a break. I already went on a break from you and I hated it."

"A pause?"

"I like that better," he said, "Don't cause any trouble this summer, or you won't hear the end of it when we get back." A snort from Harry assured his answer. A while of comfortable silence and Draco reluctantly got up from the bed, Harry watching him. He said his final piece walking out, "So I guess we're enemies, Potter?"

Harry smirked, however then broke into a smile, "Get out of here, Malfoy." Draco wanted to hate it, but even the use of last name made butterflies dance in his stomach.

"Oh and don't think big bad Malfoy won't make the train ride hell for you, Mr. Boy Who Always Causes Trouble."

"Oh trust me, Malfoy, I can handle you, " Harry said cocky as could be. Draco stopped halfway out the hospital wing door and looked at Harry as If he was crazy.

"What's that supposed to mean, Potter?"

"I guess we'll have to see, won't we. Good day."

"Good day?"

"You said you hate goodbyes, so it's good day. Now get out."

"Always so... always so you. See you, Scarface," Draco walked out the door smiling like an idiot only to finish the statement to himself, "until next year."


	14. Chapter 14: The Rest of the Year

**Chapter 16: The Rest of the Year**

The rest of the week was definitely hell for Harry. The Gryffindors werent quite helping either. His friends surrounded him with questions about what happened during the tournament, none of which he wanted to answer, nor listen to.

Telling Draco was the easiest, much easier than Ron and Hermione, finding that he listened rather than pressed. He cared. He gave Harry his chance to speak, then let the cycle work it's way through whilst his friends pressed and pushed and just told him it would all be okay.

Harry hated that. 'You'll be okay.'

Nothing would be okay. It wasn't okay. It was pain. It was death. Pain and death aren't okay.

However, let's just say Draco is the exact opposite of Malfoy. Malfoy promised to make Harry's life a living hell for the next few days, and he kept his promise. Bites and snaps in the hallway of the meanest things he could think of, that, of course, wouldn't take it too far.

But Harry understood how much Draco cared about him though. He realized he was stupid for ending it at the time he did.

And Harry told himself that if Draco were to ever insult him, it wouldn't affect the relationship they had. Now if only Draco knew that.

Malfoy would do whatever he could to make Harry look like a would always respond the same way: a dirty look, walk away, turn and smile back at his boyfriend, then another dark glare, only to continue the way they were going.

Draco hated the insults and the torture. It drove him mad at some points. All he wanted to do was take Harry to their secret hideout and just talk with him, kiss him, or even look at him without his lips crooked to once side and eyes squinted.

Pansy and Blaise were a big help though, especially when Draco chickened out on certain insults. Pansy took almost two hours explains to her Slytherin friend how Draco's love life worked."It's complicated" was all they could come down to.

Crabbe and Goyle however, hadn't a clue what was going on, or at least that's what everybody thought.

The two evil, conniving brats helped Draco in these attacks they were performing towards the Golden Boy. They would add the final touches to making their plan perfect.

Draco still was scared to insult Harry to a point. The breakup with Harry made everything so cautious now. All week they were just small insults, harmless as a baby to a lolly pop.

The train chugged along the rusty tracks back to Kings Cross. The ride felt as though hours on end refused to pass.

Harry and his friends walked down one of the many trolleys carrying the students back for the summer. Greeting as many people as he could with a fake smile on his face, he searched for an open compartment.

Strolling along the many doors, one opened only to reveal a figure who got uncomfortably close to Harry.

"Mind where you're lollygagging, will you Scarbrain? I don't want to see your stupid face while I'm on my way."

"Really? Stupid face? That's all you can do?" The unimpressed Harry smirked. Draco tried not to panic and hid his .5 second long vulnerable face with a cool mask as he conjured up a comeback.

"I'm sorry, I just thought it would match your incoherent, stupid brain."

Harry remained relaxed as Ron and Hermione behind him grew angry, yet confused. Normally his comebacks were much nastier then what they have Been this past week, right? It didn't matter anyway. They both knew the pain Harry was suffering.

"Wow, bit peachy on the replies there. Maybe It just another thing that your thick skull can't do."

Draco grew silent, unable to think of something, anything to get him out of this. He didn't want to fight Harry, not this way, not after all the events that happened recently. Cedric's funeral was just another thing that kept grinding at Harry that everything was true, and Draco didn't want to ouch things.

"Shut up, Potty head." Draco bit with fierce fangs, mercury eyes glowing with regret, only staring at Harry's perfect emerald ones.

"Wow ferret, I'm pretty sure that Moaning Myrtle could do better than that!" Ron butt in giving Harry a second to mouth to Draco come on, stop being afraid. Draco just stood there like a deer in headlights, when Harry finally pushed him.

"Move out of the way ferret." Harry cued Draco, making him understand. The blonde acted fast, pushing the raven haired boy against the wall of the tram.

"Aww poor Potty Potter trapped by little ol' me. No wonder you came back crying like a baby. I'm really surprised you just got away from

You Know Who with nothing but a cut on your forearm." It was the first time mentioning the attack and Draco was nervous to see hurt on his boyfriends face, but Harry smirked, hiding his smile as he kneed Draco in the stomach. Draco backed away in pain, clutching his stomach, not expecting the fight to get physical.

"Told you I could handle it. Good day, Malfoy," Harry said sarcastically. The three walked away leaving Draco smiling at his boyfriend, and turning to his carriage to go home once more.


End file.
